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Ok I’ll weigh in on the masks: Everything I have read that says “don’t wear a mask” are predicated on the following arguments: 1. Most people don’t wear it ri
by clay_the_ripper 7y ago
Ok I’ll weigh in on the masks:
Everything I have read that says “don’t wear a mask” are predicated on the following arguments:
1. Most people don’t wear it right so it’s not worth it
2. Most people buy the wrong kind of mask
3. Most people won’t charge the mask often enough
4. You have to take the mask off to eat/ eventually anyway so it doesn’t matter.
5. Hospitals need the masks not you
...therefore don’t buy masks.
Ok...
But what if I wear it right, change it often, use the right kind and only wear it in a “high risk” situation, like riding a train or other enclosed space?
Every article that says “don’t buy masks because this expert said so” is basically admitting that they DO work. Ok, maybe not “on average” and maybe it’s not effective at “protecting an entire country”. Sure. But that doesn’t mean it won’t work to protect ME.
So bacially it boils down to no one wanting to recommend masks for the above reasons, and to prevent a run on masks. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t effective if you do it right. Anyway, that’s my two cents on all this mask/no mask malarkey. Would love to be proven wrong.
- sunstone 7y agoAn expert in the field discusses how to stay safe when a dangerous virus is spreading. [1] [1] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/25/wuhan-coronavirus-safety-china/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/25/wuhan-coronavirus-safet...
- clay_the_ripper 7y agoThis is helpful, thanks for sharing.
- hatenberg 7y agoThe primary way this virus kills is via critical cases that need about 3-5 weeks of intensive care unit to recover. That means once any factor in the list of resources making up your limited ICU capacity is exhausted, most people going critical (10-20% of cases) are basically dead. ICU capacity is a formula limited by various factors: People (Doctors, Nurses,support staff being awake, healthy, protected), Beds and Room, Consumables and Drugs, etc. Global capacity of consumables for this situation is under severe crunch. There are not enough masks. There is not enough PPE. We even have some supply issues on IPA by now in several regions due to hyper connected commerce, hoarding, insufficient stockpiles. Singapore actually put out the math that their stockpile was signidicantly depleted due to taking a gamble by giving every household 4 masks to stop the initial panic. Again.... health care capacity is the single most constraining factor on this viruses mortality rate. For most people, even a properly worn mask during a normal day will not avert any kind of infection because they are not fully PPEd (I sneeze on you, infection will happen through ocular surface regardless of mask) and because the chance actually getting into a situation the mask is useful is remote compared to a doctor or nurse. So both at scale and from an individual perspective - not buying and depleting the mask stock and ensuring adequate supply for healthcare is the absolute best way to optimise for survival.
- ianburrell 7y agoIt would be better if they communicated that people shouldn't worry about getting or wearing masks because most people don't need them, and they are needed by people who do need them. Also, it is helpful to keep in mind the distinction between surgical masks and N95 respirators. The latter are effective at preventing transmission if worn properly. They should be saved for use by health care workers and those caring for sick people. Which means shouldn't worry about buying them at the exorbitant prices, and should probably save for (or give away) when needed. Surgical masks are helpful for sick people to wear. For prevention, they help a little so worth wearing if have them but not worth panic buying them. And keep in mind that hand washing and other things are more effective and important prevention.