Masks help stop the spread of COVID-19

General Discussion
1

https://theconversation.com/masks-help-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus-the-science-is-simple-and-im-one-of-100-experts-urging-governors-to-require-public-mask-wearing-138507

"...the science is simple and I’m one of 100 experts urging governors to require public mask-wearing" said Jeremy Howard, U of San Francisco Researcher. "...On May 14, I and 100 of the world’s top academics released an open letter to all U.S. governors asking that “officials require cloth masks to be worn in all public places, such as stores, transportation systems, and public buildings.”

In another recent study “…researchers found that micro-droplets fell out of the air within 1.5 meters of the person who was wearing a mask, versus 5 meters for those not wearing masks. When combined with social distancing, this suggests that masks can effectively reduce transmission via micro-droplets.”


https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.13553

"...Our theoretical and empirical results argue for urgent implementation of universal masking..."

This study suggested “…(1) significant (positive) impact under (near) universal masking when at least 80% of a population is wearing masks, versus minimal impact when only 50% or less of the population is wearing masks, and (2) significant impact when universal masking is adopted early, by Day 50 of a regional outbreak, versus minimal impact when universal masking is adopted late. These effects hold even at the lower filtering rates of homemade masks…”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=UNHgQq0BGLI&feature=emb_title

This video shows droplets from speech that are produced when a mask is worn and when it is not. (This was made in March. Imagine how many thousands would be alive today, if everyone had started wearing masks in public then.)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2

This study just studied surgical face masks, but it said “results indicate that surgical face masks could prevent transmission of human coronaviruses and influenza viruses from symptomatic individuals.”

Basically, it says that even with symptomatic carriers, a surgical mask can PREVENT transmission.

The overall evidence that has now been presented, overwhelmingly indicates that if enough of the population wears masks when around others, the virus can be inhibited significantly. IOW, fewer dead people.

 

2

All of the leaders who cannot lead effectively enough to get almost everyone to do what is necessary to save lives (by simply wearing masks when in close proximity to others) – those leaders are pussies. They are so weak in leadership skills, that they may highly recommend mask wearing but they don’t require it. They are pussies.

The people who don’t wear masks when in close proximity to others in public places, are very possibly contributing to the spread of COVID-19. And since this will result in deaths, eventually, these non-wearers of masks, are committing a kind of negligent homicide.

What? Good ol’ Joe, and Jim Bob? They would give you the shirt off their backs. Ok, they are very fine people, except they are also, now, accessories to negligent homicide because they refuse to wear masks when out in public places, when in close proximity to others. They are murderers.

The liars and the ignorant when they say things like “wearing a mask has no effect except as a psychological crutch for the wearer” are also purveyors of death. They seek to shame the very people who are respectful enough of their fellow humans’ lives, to do the simple task of wearing a mask. They deceive people into believing the LIE that wearing a mask does nothing to prevent the spread of C-19.

It is not just the coronavirus that we are up against, it is, also, our fellow citizens who are ignorant, or who are LIARS, and who are effectively also murderers.

 

 

3

What? No ignorant mask refusers want to refute the truth of this thread?

4

Here a study, there a study, everywhere a study. Saw one one TV yesterday which reported that masks are useless. My wise old grandmother told me that I would be better off if I believed none of what I hear and only half of what I see.

It seems that half of the deaths in the US have been in nursing homes. The local newspaper reported yesterday the first case of the virus in a nursing home in our county. It was/is a worker who, the nursing home said, saw only a limited number of patients in the facility before testing positive. No mention of his/her contact with other workers there. Makes one question how many of that “limited number” have been in contact with other workers, other patients and visitors.

Since I am in the “at risk group” I wear an N-95 mask and my copper infused gloves when I go anywhere other than my home. Before I leave the parking lot I use hand sanitizer in my car after taking off my gloves and I wash my hands thoroughly when I get home. The lives of those around me are worth that little bit of extra effort.

On the other hand, the contamination I take home on my hair, skin and clothes is probably several times what I eliminate by my protection activities. I have been able to get 90 to 95% of our daily needs - groceries, clothes, meds - by mail and I don’t go inside anywhere unless I have a serious need for something I can’t get on-line. Bottom line, do what you can and hope for the best, just like what Trump has been doing all along.

You know I wasn’t going to post all that without getting in a plug for our leader. :slight_smile:

5
My wise old grandmother told me that I would be better off if I believed none of what I hear and only half of what I see.
Your grandmother was referring to children your age, not scientists. I don't know her, but let's say she was smart. When you got older, she would have explained the finer points of how scientists question everything, including themselves. It's the grownup version of not believing everything you hear. Scientists don't "believe" their own conclusions, they just have data, evidence and logic to explain why they made those conclusions.
6

logic, You have an N-95 mask?

7
"An April review of 31 studies issued for preprint in medRxiv, researchers found that wearing masks did provide some measure of protection if both sick and well people wore them. In fact, one of the included studies found that, among a group of housemates with a sick member, all of whom wore masks, the rate of viral transmission was reduced by up to 19 percent."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/heres-how-long-coronavirus-germs-stay-in-the-air-just-from-talking/ar-BB145Axp?ocid=spartanntp

 

8
It’s the grownup version of not believing everything you hear.

Scientists don’t “believe” their own conclusions, they just have data, evidence and logic to explain why they made those conclusions.


Yes sir!

360° skepticism.

Not to mention the community of scientists always looking over each others shoulders.

To the best of our understanding based on the facts at hand.
And the ability to learn from mistakes helps too.

Honesty curiosity and constructive debate where all sides are required to honestly represent their opponents and the evidence at hand.

Where better understanding is the communal goal.

 

:slight_smile:

9

Yeah, yeah, that includes calling me on my shit.

Though I get to defend my position.

Someone needs to push.

:wink:

10

Must these threads always devolve into some version of “what is truth?”.

I gave a bunch of evidence that people wearing masks, when around other people, helps decrease the spread of COVID-19. Accept it! If not, present contrary evidence!

But you cannot give adequate contrary evidence, can you?, because it is clearly the truth that wearing masks when around others helps decrease the spread of COVID-19.

Those who choose to discourage the wearing of masks around others are also guilty, imo, of being accomplices to manslaughter, just as are those who refuse to wear masks.

Some of these b-holes, who refuse to wear masks, claim that it is their Constitutional right not to wear a mask. Consider this. If we are at war against the COVID-19 virus, then giving aid to that enemy, should also be considered high treason. In 1940, a US citizen had a Constitutional right to have Nazi rallies. In 1942, no.

I think that wearing masks around others should be REQUIRED, and not doing so should be punished by their being given tickets, and fined. ANY federal benefits, of any sort, should be held up for these people, until they have dealt with their tickets. That should get the poor non-mask wearers to be compliant.

The rich non-mask wearers, just keep ticketing them with increasing fines, until they are subsidizing the fight against COVID-19. If they don’t care whether they help kill fellow citizens, take from them what is most precious to them (money that is).

 

 

11

I assume you are referring to Bob/believeinlogic. He’s a troll. Sree is a purposeful troll, Bob might be a sincere but misguided troll. “There is no truth” is a troll tactic. The nicest version of it is, “well, isn’t it nice that we live in a free country where we can have our own opinions”. Conversation enders, logic avoiders.

12

Well, screw 'em.

Meanwhile, Everybody wear masks when around others. Save lives of your fellow citizens. Show the basic respect for fellow humans. Fight the virus. Be a good citizen instead of a traitor and instead of an accomplice to homicide by neglect. Wear masks when around others.

13

I heard another “expert”, Michael Olsterholm of U of Minn, today poo-pooing studies that indicate that mask wearing could greatly decrease C-19 transmission. He made the following points:

  • N95 masks, worn properly, would stop transmission. I say, Ok, great. How about getting N95 masks to all people in high risk categories?
  • Regular and cloth masks will not prevent aerosolized virus particles from escaping around the sides of those masks. I say Ok, but if it limits the expelled particles going straight at someone who you are talking to who is 6 ft away, would that not help? I say don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Wearing a mask doesn't hurt the economy. It is a very mild restriction on the personal freedom some seem to think they have to infect their fellow humans.
  • He cited the failure of masks to decrease the transmission of the 1918 flu. I say in 1918 they did not know what they were doing. They did not combine mask wearing and social distancing. There was as much pushback in wearing masks as we see with our modern ignorant contemporaries. So the use was inconsistent. Worst of all, perhaps, is that it was common for people in 1918 to wear masks outside, but they would take them off inside, for interacting with others.
  • He cited that in Wuhan, it was already common practice for almost everyone to wear masks when the outbreak started, yet the out break did start and it did spread rapidly. I say, again, that the people in Wuhan did not know what they were up against. No one ever said that mask wearing by itself will prevent C-19 transmission, only that, combined with the other measures like social distancing, being more careful in confined indoor areas, especially where there is no clean air circulating in, washing hands, not touching your face, etc. -- with all of that, masks would help limit the rate of transmission.
  • He related that mask wearing might make vulnerable persons feel safer than they really are. I say the vulnerable people have already heard that wearing a cloth or regular surgical mask will not substantially protect them. Mask wearers help protect others from them. But even so, perhaps not significantly if not combined with social distancing or if you go into a confined area with others, without fresh air dispersing build up of aerosolized virus.
  • Olsterholm talks about how we as a society need to start having "straight talk" about dealing with C-19. Despite that being the core of his message, he did not seem to be very straight about coming out and saying what he was getting at. But I gleaned, overall, that believes this virus will be with us until we gain herd immunity. I say, Ok, but why not use masks in the meanwhile to SLOW the rate of transmission while we are blundering headlong into opening up the economy?
I am sick and tired of so called experts discouraging the use of masks. I consider them to be proponents of death.
14

https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Study-Surgical-masks-reduce-spread-hamster-hong-ko-15281491.php

Just one more of many studies showing the probable efficacy of mask wearing in reducing C-19 spread.

15

Please, if someone has read this thread and sincerely believes that mask wearing by almost all of the public will not decrease C-19 transmission, don’t be a pussy. Speak up and present your evidence to the contrary. No doubt I will destroy your argument, but at least you won’t have been a pussy, and not even presented your side (the side of death promotion, I think).

16

Now I want to understand how it is that the Great United States of America doesn’t have the wherewithal to produce billions of the correct N95 masks. What? We can’t come up with enough money to help save lives and the economy?

We know that used correctly, they DO INDEED, protect both the wearer and those around them from transmission of C-19. So why the F___ do we not have them for everybody???

C’mon. It can’t be that tough to make those little things. I know that healthcare workers need to go through them like chocolate candies, but regular people could get by, indefinitely, with less than 6. They could use one on one day and set it aside somewhere by itself for a few days before using it again. By then, any virus that may have been on it will have died from old age.

17

I can never understand how people become neglectful when it is a matter of life and death. I have seen people disobeying all the SOPs listed by doctors and governments. But they still somehow care very little or not at all. This is one debate, and another one is, exactly what kind and material of the mask are capable of reducing the transmission of Covid-19. N95 certainly grabs the top of the list, but its dearth is a real problem, especially for doctors and other front-line workers. Doctors have been using surgical masks, but they are not recommended for the general public, so they are in stock for doctors. Surgical masks are certainly moisture resistant due to non-woven polypropylene layers. In surgical masks, about 70% of the outside air moves through the mask, and about 30% moves around the sides, according to the Chu told Live Science. For that reason, they are not as effective as N95s are. But I would suggest wearing any sort of mask and gloves to avoid as much as we can.

18
William Kelley worked for 13 years, formerly, with the National Academy of Science. (The National Academy of Science) recently published a study comparing the effectiveness of different types of masks.

According to the study, Kelley said, N95 masks provided 25 times the protection of surgical masksand 50 times the protection of cloth masks. The study also found that cloth masks reduced admitted particles by one-fifth, surgical masks reduced it by halfand N95 reduced particles by two-thirds.


I went to the dollar store yesterday. The first time I have been in a store in a couple of weeks. I wasn’t in there long. I wore my sad handkerchief self rigged mask. There were maybe a dozen other people in there, including a couple of staff. None of them, ZERO, were wearing a mask. I even saw a woman in scrubs. She was not wearing a mask. I live in a conservative state that has not been hit very hard by COVID-19, but there are more cases out there than there have been since this all started. And opening up the economy is being pushed fast. But the population here seems to be primarily of the RepugLIARS persuasion when it comes to mask wearing in public.

So I risk my life more every time I venture out among the ignorant buffoons. But I mainly wear a mask to make sure I am not risking the lives of my ignorant fellow Americans who are too proud to wear a mask.