To Mask or Not To Mask?

@George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

The science is settled - not:

Show me in the article where it explains the scientific basis for masks being ineffective.

I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.

However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

Aqua Letifer

@George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.
However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

I've read several articles and even watched a VR simulation of droplet & aerosol spreading, showing how masks of various fiber densities are effective in dampening the spread. It's not like this shit's a secret.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

@Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

@George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.
However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

I've read several articles and even watched a VR simulation of droplet & aerosol spreading, showing how masks of various fiber densities are effective in dampening the spread. It's not like this shit's a secret.

I'm not disagreeing with what you said, and, once again, I think people should mask.

But my point is that models of aerosol spread, etc don't necessarily reflect effectiveness in preventing spread. What happens in a petri dish isn't necessarily what happens in the real world.

Aqua Letifer

@George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

@Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

@George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.
However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

I've read several articles and even watched a VR simulation of droplet & aerosol spreading, showing how masks of various fiber densities are effective in dampening the spread. It's not like this shit's a secret.

I'm not disagreeing with what you said, and, once again, I think people should mask.

But my point is that models of aerosol spread, etc don't necessarily reflect effectiveness in preventing spread. What happens in a petri dish isn't necessarily what happens in the real world.

So how could the physics be such that masks don't prevent spread? How does that look scientifically? To make it clear I'm talking N95s.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

@Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

So how could the physics be such that masks don't prevent spread? How does that look scientifically? To make it clear I'm talking N95s.

Ah, well, that's different. The percentage of people I see wearing N95s is remarkably small. I was out of the house twice today, and I saw zero N95s. Some people are wearing those construction-type masks with a replaceable filter - those might actually make things worse, because they're one-way - you can breathe shit out, but not in.

Several large studies of the operating room environment have shown that wearing masks by the surgical staff does little to prevent infection in patients (granted we're talking bacteria here), but are useful in protecting the staff. It's my understanding that in Great Britain, only the staff actually at the table wear masks - ~~anesthesiologist~~ anesthetist and circulating nurse do not.

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To Mask or Not To Mask?