"Do Masks Work?"

[Jolly]

In the small hospital lab where I occasionally work, the masks are taken off after we walk into the lab.

We haven't had a single case of worker-to-worker transmission, although a half dozen of us (including me) have had COVID.

[89th]

To me it’s pretty simple common sense that masks help reduce the transmission of human to human “stuff”. I don’t think it’s a perfect shield against covid micro particles or whatever but I’m sure it helps reduce things, so why not.

[George K]

@89th said in "Do Masks Work?":

To me it’s pretty simple common sense that masks help reduce the transmission of human to human “stuff”.

No disagreement there. The science of mask-wearing in the operating room is surprisingly scant.

I don’t think it’s a perfect shield against covid micro particles or whatever but I’m sure it helps reduce things, so why not.

So, let me get this straight.

1. Masks prevent human "stuff" from transmitting
2. Masks probably don't help with microparticles.

By that logic you should have been wearing a mask before the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak - but you weren't, were you?

[89th]

@george-k i’m not sure how to reply, you’re asking why didn’t I wear a mask before Covid?

I wear a mask now because it’s required by the places I visit and I respect that, and I also respect the fact that it could have a part in helping to reduce the spread of the pandemic. Just doing my part as a good citizen, IMO.

That being said, in general i’m comfortable without a mask because I am confident in my health and the vaccine I took.

[George K]

@89th said in "Do Masks Work?":

@george-k i’m not sure how to reply, you’re asking why didn’t I wear a mask before Covid?
I wear a mask now because it’s required by the places I visit and I respect that, and I also respect the fact that it could have a part in helping to reduce the spread of the pandemic. Just doing my part as a good citizen, IMO.
That being said, in general i’m comfortable without a mask because I am confident in my health and the vaccine I took.

Perhaps I overestimated your concern about human "stuff."

My sentiments are pretty much like yours, though I was never concerned about human "stuff" before the pandemic.

The article I posted shows that masking plays little, if any role, in halting the spread of the pandemic. Everything else is anecdotal.

If it's required, I'll mask up (our condo assn has reinstated the mask requirement for common areas), even though I'm not sure it really makes any difference.

At my age, I'm not as confident of my health, of course.

[bachophile]

“The science of mask-wearing in the operating room is surprisingly scant.”

Well, before covid, I basically thought the reason to wear a mask in the OR is not to have blood, gunk, or someones colon content splash in my face. I don’t think it adds jackshit to helping to keep sterility.

[Jolly]

@bachophile said in "Do Masks Work?":

“The science of mask-wearing in the operating room is surprisingly scant.”

Well, before covid, I basically thought the reason to wear a mask in the OR is not to have blood, gunk, or someones colon content splash in my face. I don’t think it adds jackshit to helping to keep sterility.

No face shields?

[Copper]

That’s funny

I didn’t think it was allowed to say no mask is better than a mask.

It may be correct, but it’s not a nice thing to say

It makes you a bad person

Kind of like the language AL uses

[bachophile]

I wear a mask and glasses. Anything that gets in between is my bad luck

[George K]

@bachophile said in "Do Masks Work?":

“The science of mask-wearing in the operating room is surprisingly scant.”

Well, before covid, I basically thought the reason to wear a mask in the OR is not to have blood, gunk, or someones colon content splash in my face. I don’t think it adds jackshit to helping to keep sterility.

Exactly. It’s a question of protecting yourself much more than protecting the patient.

As someone who has had projectile vomitus come up into his face, I’m a big believer in self protection, LOL.

[Doctor Phibes]

I think there's a case for wearing a mask out of simple politeness if you're going into an enclosed public area.

[Loki]

@89th said in "Do Masks Work?":

@george-k i’m not sure how to reply, you’re asking why didn’t I wear a mask before Covid?

I wear a mask now because it’s required by the places I visit and I respect that, and I also respect the fact that it could have a part in helping to reduce the spread of the pandemic. Just doing my part as a good citizen, IMO.

That being said, in general i’m comfortable without a mask because I am confident in my health and the vaccine I took.

+1

[Loki]

@doctor-phibes said in "Do Masks Work?":

I think there's a case for wearing a mask out of simple politeness if you're going into an enclosed public area.

Agreed. I am making no statement by wearing a mask and I don’t think I have the right to create conflict with absolute strangers. Just like BLM protesters have no right to shut down highways or destroy property.

[Copper]

@loki said in "Do Masks Work?":

@doctor-phibes said in "Do Masks Work?":

I think there's a case for wearing a mask out of simple politeness if you're going into an enclosed public area.

Agreed. I am making no statement by wearing a mask and I don’t think I have the right to create conflict with absolute strangers. Just like BLM protesters have no right to shut down highways or destroy property.

Clothes make the man

[Jolly]

@copper said in "Do Masks Work?":

@loki said in "Do Masks Work?":

@doctor-phibes said in "Do Masks Work?":

I think there's a case for wearing a mask out of simple politeness if you're going into an enclosed public area.

Agreed. I am making no statement by wearing a mask and I don’t think I have the right to create conflict with absolute strangers. Just like BLM protesters have no right to shut down highways or destroy property.

Clothes make the man

Pithy.

[George K]

I really hope I'm not coming of as an anti-masker here, because it's not my intent.

As I've said, many times, I've yet to see anything that comes close to real science about the effectiveness of masks with regard to COVID, until today.

Now, wearing one makes me feel better, and it's polite. It's also required, so I'm a good citizen as well, and I do so.

It's just not science, yet.

[Horace]

@george-k said in "Do Masks Work?":

I really hope I'm not coming of as an anti-masker here, because it's not my intent.

It’s how you make me feel.

[Loki]

@george-k said in "Do Masks Work?":

I really hope I'm not coming of as an anti-masker here, because it's not my intent.

As I've said, many times, I've yet to see anything that comes close to real science about the effectiveness of masks with regard to COVID, until today.

Now, wearing one makes me feel better, and it's polite. It's also required, so I'm a good citizen as well, and I do so.

It's just not science, yet.

The alternative is for everyone not to wear one. So you have to weigh the pros and cons of effort vs potential consequences. Consequences of wearing them could be negative for business, for pleasure and for learning.

I think it gets really tricky when the concept of individual liberty gets blended into the analysis…it’s like dropping the mike on the debate.

[Jolly]

No, the solution is personal responsibility.

[xenon]

There's two issues that get conflated here - 1) Do masks work 2) Can the government force someone to do something that would prevent harm to others

Let's say everyone started emitting a lethal 3-foot radius death beam out of their head, and wearing a hat would contain it. Should the government enforce a hat mandate? (Obviously, yes?)

The argument for personal responsibility is often that the government should never mandate any clothing - I don't think we actually believe that. Everything is a question of degrees, and the problem is that not enough people believe that masks work.