Bill Nye Calls Face Masks a Matter of 'Life and Death' on TikTok Nye stressed the importance of wearing face masks in a new TikTok video on Thursday. Bill Nye, via TikTok Bill Nye, via TikTok Nye's video comes as cases of COVID-19 have dramatically risen in some U.S. states. With three million confirmed cases, America has the most severe outbreak globally. The Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center says the pandemic is responsible for killing at least 132,000 in the U.S. New Jersey and California have mandated that people must wear masks in public. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronavirus spreads through respiratory droplets. Scientific evidence suggests that covering one's face is an effective way of slowing the spread of COVID-19. The agency adds that people should continue to wash and sanitize their hands frequently.