Sunday, August 16, 2020

Masks

Mrs ERJ and I went to Mass today.

I am in the no-man's-land regarding masks. I think they help some...but are far from a magical talisman in stopping Covid-19.

The case for masks

Clearly, masks stop some virus-laden particles. The fact that they get damp suggests that some aerosoled saliva and mucus is captured by the weave of the cloth.

Comparisons between the size of the virus and the pore-size of the cloth are misleading. Our bodies rarely eject naked virus into the environment. Typically, the virus is embedded within droplets from clearing our throats, speaking or more typcially coughing or sneezing.

And if you ever removed a furnace filter, then you realize that the filter captures particles smaller than the spaces between the filaments of the filter element. The filaments pick up an electrostatic charge and the pollutant is attracted based on that charge.

The case against

A significant percentage of your breath you does not pass through the filter material. My glasses fogged. The breath that fogged my glasses did not pass through the mask. It passed between my mask and my face.

Just spit-balling here. If 30% of my exhalation does not pass through the filter (more when doing more than standing and praying), from an incremental risk standpoint, how is that any different than one-person-in-three choosing to not wear a mask?

12 comments:

  1. I wear one when I go into a store because the Misses has autoimmune disease. Although I think the point is moot because I found out I was exposed through my late brother and it was two weeks before I got tested. I had a positive result, but neither of us have/had any symptoms and it's been a month.

    I believe this whole thing is a bunch of BS.

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  2. There are those loud, boisterous, in-your-face types out there that you know are contaminating the entire room and I wish would always wear a mask. However the dictatorial orders of our governors bothers me much more. If I want to wear a mask to protect myself that should be my choice.--ken

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  3. A good 90% of the 'dampness' in the worn mask comes from the condensation of the moisture in your breath, not from trapped droplets. When you realise that droplet infection of this virus can be via the EYES then mask-wearing is nullified unless goggles are worn.
    Seen anyone recently all goggled-up?

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  4. A good 90% of the 'dampness' in the worn mask comes from the condensation of the moisture in your breath, not from trapped droplets. When you realise that droplet infection of this virus can be via the EYES then mask-wearing is nullified unless goggles are worn.
    Seen anyone recently all goggled-up?

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  5. I forgot about the fish carcasses in the front yard from a couple days ago. Well they stunk bad. Put my handy mask on and carried the fish to burial. Mask did make a difference. I only got a little bit of the stink up my nose, only 50% vomit. The masks give you a false sense of safety. If the masks are so good, then next cold and flu season I should be immune masked up? The mistake is comparing handkerchief to surgically worn proper respirator. Chicken salad to chickenshit.

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  6. Cloth masks don't have the same particle trapping ability as that furnace filter you mentioned.

    Those are treated to trap smaller particles via electrostatic attraction...IE, static. A cloth mask does not have this ability.

    A cloth mask DOES stop droplets that directly are expelled from your mouth and nose. It does little to protect the wearer, but rather protects the rest of the population FROM the wearer. (*If* the wearer HAS covid).

    Lots more is spread via touching surfaces that someone else touched or sneezed on, and then touching your mouth or nose, which masks MIGHT discourage.

    Possibly through eyes, but that is a low risk factor.

    If Masks work, then why are we releasing convicted criminals? Why not, instead, give 'em masks?

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    Replies
    1. To be dainty, there are other body fluids exchanged by prisoners that are not saliva.

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  7. Note to selsey- you stutter. On topic- I dp not want to wear a mask. However, of the stores where I go require them. So I ordered one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Seamless-Windproof-Balaclava-Sweatband-Festivals/dp/B07RZZMHCC/ref=pb_allspark_session_sims_desktop_193_6/132-5142931-6467421?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07RZZMHCC&pd_rd_r=15e0583b-e613-4cc3-8126-695d269b8d42&pd_rd_w=zN1MQ&pd_rd_wg=MeHfF&pf_rd_p=e500004d-dce5-4973-9afd-bba519c83f08&pf_rd_r=QW75NCYA0C9GRBK1PBN1&psc=1&refRID=QW75NCYA0C9GRBK1PBN1 No shit\\\\\\\.
    I was undecide between that one and a V for vendetta/Guy Fawkes mask.

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    Replies
    1. Obviously, I need an editor.. the link works though

      Delete
  8. I have yet to see any scientific research supporting the mask requirement; all I have found is supposition and assumption, plus the view that we must do it since it MIGHT help.
    In my view, those who are vulnerable need to protect themselves and not assume that others will take steps to protect them, which is essentially what mask mandates and other guidance are supposed to do.
    As mentioned above, from the studies I have seen, wearing eye protection, even just ordinary glasses, reduces your risk of catching it.
    In the 9 states I have been in recently, traveling for work, all but 2 had a mask requirement - but at least 40% of people in every state were not wearing masks, sometimes much more.
    My biggest problem with mask requirements is that people and businesses seem to be assuming that masks are a "silver bullet" and many have stopped taking other precautions. For example, in my area Target, Kroger, and other chains that (supposedly) have mask requirements have stopped disinfecting carts and have cut back on cleaning other surfaces. Masks are only directed at one transmission method, airborne droplets; there are many other transmission methods that diseases use. In fact, very few diseases spread through airborne transmission, so making all of your guidelines revolve around it means that you are ignoring large parts of the problem.

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  9. I think you hit the nail on the head, much better than I did. You only need one hole in the net for the fish to get out.

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  10. "We know that outside of a healthcare setting, a mask offers little or no protection against viral transmission.....The only benefit is psychological."
    -The New England Journal of Medicine, May 21, 2020

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