person: medium-light skin tone, beard
Unicode: 1F9D4 1F3FC
Description
A person wearing a surgical mask, with a light skin tone. The mask covers the nose and mouth, and the person's eyes and forehead are visible.
Group:
People & Body > person
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents a health professional, someone in a hospital or clinic, or someone taking precautions against illness (e.g., during a pandemic). Can also convey feelings of caution, protection, or being unwell.
Backstory
The 'Person in Surgical Mask' emoji was introduced in Unicode 8.0 (2015). It gained significant prominence and relevance globally with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a widely recognized symbol for public health measures and healthcare workers.
Usage Examples
- Indicating a doctor's visit: 'Going to the hospital 😷' or 'My doctor appointment is next week 😷'
- Expressing caution during illness: 'Feeling under the weather, staying home 😷'
- Referring to healthcare professionals: 'Nurses and doctors are heroes 😷'
- Discussing public health: 'Remember to wear your mask 😷 in crowded places.'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Often associated with doctors, nurses, or patients. Became more prevalent in public usage during the COVID-19 pandemic to signify health precautions.
East Asian culture:
Commonly used for people wearing masks due to seasonal allergies, pollution, or to prevent the spread of colds and flu even before the pandemic. More widely accepted as a routine public health measure.