Face Mask (West, Italy: house, university, yard)

[JL]

Originally Posted by DDivine

Any of you acquired or used home made masks, surgical masks, face shields, construction/sanitation/dentist mask or N95 masks? Obviously, masks are no guarantee but as a protective layer to decrease your probability of giving or getting it from someone undiagnosed or asymptomatic?

Yes that is the reason. Also people have a tendency or unknowingly touching their face, so at least if they do, it’s the mask and not bare face. The mask I bought covers the face more than the medical masks. It’s like a ninja mask bought in Asia or you can buy kpop masks. They are probably running out too, but not sure.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Made-to-Ord...-/283818567788

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Korea-Black...wAAOSw-0xYYLBg

[lipbalm]

Originally Posted by BobTex

Even the N95 is totally effective against COVID-19.

So what, mask reduce the probability and hence the overall rate of infection. Where masks are commonly accepted social practice (Japan, Taiwan, Singapore) the virus has not spread as fast. Mask should be MANDATORY to be out in public, period. But governments around the world knew they were caught with their pants down so kept pushing the BS that mask don't help. At this point anything is better than nothing.

[DDivine]

It feels like benefits of wearing masks are being downplayed because we don’t have masks. Instead of denying, increase production, import, sew at homes, 3-D print, distribute, donate and recommend wearing it in public places.

[JL]

If you guys have time, which you do sitting on your couch or desk at home all day, then watch this video. Masks are important. This S.Korean doctor knows what he is talking about. Subtitles included. think about it though. if you touch a surface and inadvertently touch your face without a mask, that is a big risk.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAk7aX5hksU&t=1981s

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by lipbalm

So what, mask reduce the probability and hence the overall rate of infection. Where masks are commonly accepted social practice (Japan, Taiwan, Singapore) the virus has not spread as fast. Mask should be MANDATORY to be out in public, period. But governments around the world knew they were caught with their pants down so kept pushing the BS that mask don't help. At this point anything is better than nothing.

Masks do very little to protect you from being exposed to the virus if you have one on but an infected person is in close proximity to you. What they do help with is for people who have the virus to not be able to spread it well.

Im assuming youve never been to Japan, Taiwan, or Singapore? The only times people wear masks there is when they are sick, not to keep from getting sick from the general public. They are much more considerate of others whereas here healthy people want to wear masks for selfish reasons (ie they dont want to get sick themselves).

As to why its not spreading as fast in other countries, there are many factors. The Japanese are perfectionists in everything they do. When they have a problem on their hands, their culture fights it with all vigor on all fronts. Taiwan shut itself off really early as did Singapore. The real question to ask is why the virus' spread is minuscule in places like Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines where wearing masks is extremely uncommon even when people are sick. COVID-19 also popped up earlier in each of those countries than it did in Europe, the population densities are much higher, and the resources to fight it are far fewer. One could argue that Vietnam did take some early precautions but that definitely was not the case in Thailand or the Philippines.

Thats inevitably when people say "but its now starting to spread like crazy!". No, it isnt. Heres some perspective for you:

New cases reported in the last 72 hours per country:

US: 39,841
Spain: 24,818
Italy: 18,086
Germany: 16,039
France: 12,225
Iran: 8,931
UK: 7,650

vs. Southeast Asia:

Thailand: 454
Philippines: 439
Indonesia: 365
Singapore: 171
Vietnam: 38

and again the virus is older in each of these countries than any country in Europe so the argument that "its just now taking off" is pure garbage.

[lipbalm]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Masks do very little to protect you from being exposed to the virus if you have one on but an infected person is in close proximity to you. What they do help with is for people who have the virus to not be able to spread it well.

Im assuming youve never been to Japan, Taiwan, or Singapore? The only times people wear masks there is when they are sick, not to keep from getting sick from the general public. They are much more considerate of others whereas here healthy people want to wear masks for selfish reasons (ie they dont want to get sick themselves).

As to why its not spreading as fast in other countries, there are many factors. The Japanese are perfectionists in everything they do. When they have a problem on their hands, their culture fights it with all vigor on all fronts. Taiwan shut itself off really early as did Singapore. The real question to ask is why the virus' spread is minuscule in places like Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines where wearing masks is extremely uncommon even when people are sick. COVID-19 also popped up earlier in each of those countries than it did in Europe, the population densities are much higher, and the resources to fight it are far fewer. One could argue that Vietnam did take some early precautions but that definitely was not the case in Thailand or the Philippines.

Thats inevitably when people say "but its now starting to spread like crazy!". No, it isnt. Heres some perspective for you:

New cases reported in the last 72 hours per country:

US: 39,841
Spain: 24,818
Italy: 18,086
Germany: 16,039
France: 12,225
Iran: 8,931
UK: 7,650

vs. Southeast Asia:

Thailand: 454
Philippines: 439
Indonesia: 365
Singapore: 171
Vietnam: 38

and again the virus is older in each of these countries than any country in Europe so the argument that "its just now taking off" is pure garbage.

But there are a lot of asymptotic people spreading it. Hence Mandarory for Everyone !!

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by lipbalm

But there are a lot of asymptotic people spreading it. Hence Mandarory for Everyone !!

So then tell me, why in Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam where people are far less likely to wear masks is it not spreading to the same degree?

[JL]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

So then tell me, why in Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam where people are far less likely to wear masks is it not spreading to the same degree?

The government is shutting down businesses in Vietnam quite a bit a few weeks ago. They're also quarantining many. In other words, they're taking steps to not let it spread. I believe the Phillippines were doing the same early. Don't know about Thailand, but Vietnam was taking action early. Keep in mind too that Vietnam has a huge younger population so they might have it, but only showing mild flu and no serious issues and then it passes. Start early enough with safety measures and the infection rate will slow regardless of masks or not. Their population is also much smaller than the U.S. If you're late in the game, then your chances of infection go up and wise to wear masks as the curve is going up. Italy, Spain, and U.S were behind in response and they're paying for it.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by JL

The government is shutting down businesses in Vietnam quite a bit a few weeks ago. They're also quarantining many. In other words, they're taking steps to not let it spread. I believe the Phillippines were doing the same early. Don't know about Thailand, but Vietnam was taking action early. Keep in mind too that Vietnam has a huge younger population so they might have it, but only showing mild flu and no serious issues and then it passes.

The Philippines wasnt though early on. They started them on March 17. They did have people coming from China, South Korea, and Italy quarantined but thats similar to most other countries.

[JL]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

The Philippines wasnt though early on. They started them on March 17. They did have people coming from China, South Korea, and Italy quarantined but thats similar to most other countries.

yes, locking down your borders can't be underestimated either. right now south korea isn't having an issue with infection rates for their own citizens, but most new infections are coming from travelers arriving. thus, they have tested every passenger arriving and making them register with government and installing a quarantine app on their smartphone to track if they're staying at home or not for 14 days. if they out and about they're tracked with the gps app.

Maybe Bush Int airport should do the same thing, but that would be an enormous task to keep track in Houston.