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The mask traps exhaled droplets that contain the virus. The goal is reduction of the amount of virus in the air around the person wearing the mask. That is why social distancing is also advised.
There have been situations where people who were infected but who wore masks did not spread the virus. Like this one.
I've heard it over and over again ad nauseam for the last year.
I'm saying it's largely crap.
Wearing a surgical mask may stop some of the droplets of the wearer from spewing out into the air when they sneeze or whatever but for the most part, the virus can go right through it or around the outside edges of the mask that doesn't seal tightly to the face of the wearer or others breathing in.
An N-95 mask is considerably more effective for avoiding breathing in the virus, which is why medical personnel wear them, but a common surgical or cloth mask is largely just for show.
They are pretty much just costumes we wear to make ourselves and others feel better.
I've heard it over and over again ad nauseam for the last year.
I'm saying it's largely crap.
Wearing a surgical mask may stop some of the droplets of the wearer from spewing out into the air when they sneeze or whatever but for the most part, the virus can go right through it or around the outside edges of the mask that doesn't seal tightly to the face of the wearer or others breathing in.
An N-95 mask is considerably more effective for avoiding breathing in the virus, which is why medical personnel wear them, but a common surgical or cloth mask is largely just for show.
They are pretty much just costumes we wear to make ourselves and others feel better.
If you are around someone who is infected with SARS-CoV-2 who sneezes or coughs would you rather he be wearing a mask - any mask - or not?
If you are around someone who is infected with SARS-CoV-2 who sneezes or coughs would you rather he be wearing a mask - any mask - or not?
From a perceived comfort standpoint, obviously wearing some kind of face covering is better than none.
And in the case of someone sneezing, the viral load may be reduced.....
But it's not going to be eliminated.
What I'm saying here is the type of mask and the way it's worn makes a huge difference.
But the vast majority of people who wear a mask are not wearing the correct type and are not wearing them properly.
So they end up being mostly "care" theater.
IMO, this is what Fauci was taking into account when he made the mistake in the early days of the pandemic of telling people that they don't need to wear a mask.
Masks help people not panic, and make politicians look/feel like they're doing something.
From a perceived comfort standpoint, obviously wearing some kind of face covering is better than none.
And in the case of someone sneezing, the viral load may be reduced.....
But it's not going to be eliminated.
What I'm saying here is the type of mask and the way it's worn makes a huge difference.
But the vast majority of people who wear a mask are not wearing the correct type and are not wearing them properly.
So they end up being mostly "care" theater.
IMO, this is what Fauci was taking into account when he made the mistake in the early days of the pandemic of telling people that they don't need to wear a mask.
Masks help people not panic, and make politicians look/feel like they're doing something.
No one expects masks to be 100% effective. The goal is reduction, not elimination.
I agree that the way masks are worn and handled is atrocious.
I agree that Dr. Fauci may have suspected that the American public's ability to use masks would be less than stellar.
No one expects masks to be 100% effective. The goal is reduction, not elimination.
I agree that the way masks are worn and handled is atrocious.
I agree that Dr. Fauci may have suspected that the American public's ability to use masks would be less than stellar.
I think that masks are kind a wash.
They give people a false sense of security which makes them ignore social distancing.
Also, if you wear glasses, they make your glasses fog up (further illustrating their ineffectiveness)
So people will pull them down below their noses to avoid that.
That happens to me all the time, so I went and bought one of those neck gaiter type coverings, hoping maybe that wouldn't fog up my glasses.
The material was so thin and the weave so loose, that I could feel my two day whiskers poking through it.
They give people a false sense of security which makes them ignore social distancing.
Also, if you wear glasses, they make your glasses fog up (further illustrating their ineffectiveness)
So people will pull them down below their noses to avoid that.
That happens to me all the time, so I went and bought one of those neck gaiter type coverings, hoping maybe that wouldn't fog up my glasses.
The material was so thin and the weave so loose, that I could feel my two day whiskers poking through it.
You're correct about the neck gaiters not being effective and about the N95s being the gold standard when it comes to masks. Duke University did an interesting study about this with 14 different mask types.
Also, you're correct about social distancing being important. Just because someone has on a mask doesn't mean they should be 12 inches from someone if they can be several more feet (preferably 6+) back in a public setting.
As to the glasses fog issue, I wear glasses too, and the trick there is to not be limited to the ear loops, since they are one size fits all. I've used a piece of string to attach the sides of the mask so that the mask has a better fit, doesn't fog, and isn't pulling on my ears. You see a lot of medical professionals doing these kinds of hacks being that they wear them hours and hours per day.
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