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 · 7 Aug 2020, 19:31

@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 · 7 Aug 2020, 19:36

@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 · 8 Jul 2020, 19:37

@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 · 7 Aug 2020, 19:47

@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.

Catseye3 · 8 Jul 2020, 19:49

I think there's a point beyond which you're talking angels on pinheads, mask effectiveness-wise.

It's a crapshoot, no matter how well you're protected or think you're protected. I was standing in line at a store register recently, the patrons were all being good about distancing (though not about masks). I thought to my (masked) self, what if some guy walked through the space where I'm standing 60 seconds ago and I'm standing in a cloud of his exhale. How good a protective job is this ~~cockamamie~~ mask doing? And how can I know? How contagion-heavy was his viral load (if that's the correct term)? How susceptible am I generally, and how susceptible am I to his particular exhalation? What are the odds I'll get sick from his stuff, and how sick will I get?

Don't know. Don't know. Don't know. Don't know. Don't know.

Aqua Letifer · wrote on 7 Aug 2020, 19:47

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

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.

But what about their effectiveness? Surgical masks are not N95s. And those kinds of masks are common enough around here.

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To Mask or Not To Mask?