3 ms·
"Masks are NOT the most useful thing you can do to protect yourself: they’re hard to wear properly, especially for long periods of time, and their effectiveness
by thoraway1010 7y ago
"Masks are NOT the most useful thing you can do to protect yourself: they’re hard to wear properly, especially for long periods of time, and their effectiveness against viral particles stops as the filter gets moist with your breathing. Also for some people, wearing a mask makes it more likely that they will touch their face."
Reality - masks are a valid, additional step. And given all the other crazy, high cost, high impact steps being taken to "flatten the curve" a low cost low impact step like mask wearing should be on the recommendations list.
Even kids (ultra low risk) in shanghai are wearing masks in the playgrounds. And here we have older adults squeezed onto mass transit and are telling them all the reasons why masks may not help.
To flatten the curve all low cost low impact steps should be taken.
- bluGill 7y agoIn Asia it is common to wear masks for air pollution reasons. It might or might not help with a virus, but you can't cite kids in Shanghai unless you can show there is an increase.
- samatman 7y agoAre you joking, or just not current? Single-digit percentages of Asians are wearing masks under normal circumstances, some for pollution and mostly because it's expected if you have a respiratory infection. Masks are now required in public in substantial parts of China. You can be arrested if you leave the house without one.
- thoraway1010 7y agoI was basing this off first person accounts from ex-pats in asia - the big message was that masks are now worn both as a courtesy to others and in some cases are required and kids don't like to wear masks - which makes it tricky when they are mandated. I can't find the blog though.
- rocha 7y ago"Masks are NOT THE MOST useful thing you can do..."