5 ms·

Can you explain how improper use of masks can make things worse?

• monkeywork 7y ago
  false sense of security - gives the person the impression they are protected and allows them to lower their guard in other area's that they might now if they weren't wearing it. edit To put it in tech terms ... someone poorly implementing a security / encryption method may be more dangerous than someone who didn't because the person who didn't may take additional steps that the person who falsely thinks they are protected wouldn't.
  • tomp 7y ago
    Couldn't you say the same thing about every non-100%-certain method of protection?
    • monkeywork 7y ago
      The conversation was about using the protection incorrectly - and yes you could likely say the same thing about any method of protection that is being used incorrectly. Airbags are great - shouldn't put one in front a baby. Sunscreen is fantastic - assuming it's not expired. etc etc.
  • pmachinery 7y ago
    > false sense of security - gives the person the impression they are protected and allows them to lower their guard in other area's that they might now if they weren't wearing it. Using this argument bullet poof vests and helmets "make things worse". In my experience a mask is a conspicuous reminder of an unusual/dangerous situation - that I would definitely forget about at certain times if I was not wearing a mask - and to be constantly on my guard.
    • monkeywork 7y ago
      I've seen and heard from people who think social distancing doesn't apply to them if they are wearing a mask... hell there are people who don't think social distancing applies if they are indoors. edit Also people who are using bullet proof vests / helmets are generally TRAINED on how to use them, thus know the limits.
    • paranoidrobot 7y ago
      It's a poor example. Ballistic vests and helmets don't collect gunfire that can be transferred to you if you take them off incorrectly, or if you scratch an itch under the vest with a hand that hasn't been decontaminated.
• iso1631 7y ago
  Imagine you have a mask, you take it off for some reason (say to eat or drink) and put it in your pocket, it gathers tons of bacteria, you then put it back on your face. The warm and moist environment lets that bacteria spread, and you sit there breathing in through that colony of bacteria for the next two hours.
• paranoidrobot 7y ago
  The vast majority of people don't know how to handle contaminated items correctly, and default to how they normally do things. You can't see contamination like that, so it's difficult to control your subconcious behaviours. Touching the outside of their mask (more likely to have any virus droplets), then touch their face/eyes/etc. Lifting the mask with their contaminated hands to scratch their nose or mouth. Touching the mask and transferring contaminants from your hands onto the inside of the mask, or from the outside of the mask onto your hands then to the inside of the mask. Taking off/disposing of the contaminated masks improperly. Using a mask beyond when it's safe to do so - most masks are not supposed to be used if they become moist, as they can retransmit and help spread droplets.
  • tomp 7y ago
    Literally all of these are strictly worse if you don't have a mask; instead of touching your mask - touching your mouth then touching your eyes; instead of disposing contaminated mask improperly - not being able to dispose contaminated skin on your face; etc.