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Do not wear your face mask like the gentleman front and center in the photo! Not covering your nose has become the source of many memes but it still widespread

Do not wear your face mask like the gentleman front and center in the photo! Not covering your nose has become the source of many memes but it still widespread. Simply having the fabric on your face does not grant you a protective aura.

nitrogen 7y ago
Sadly even professionals like dentists do this wrong sometimes.
SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
If you don’t have an N95 mask, it isn’t ultra important. I figure the masks that aren’t stopping virus anyhow are at least reminders to not touch your face / be careful.
- joshstrange 7y ago
  > I figure the masks that aren’t stopping virus anyhow I don't agree with that statement. Even if it only blocks 1/2 of the viral load you are better off. Best case: you don't get any of the virus, worst case: you get a smaller dose which helps your odds.
  - aledalgrande 7y ago
    Yeah from my limited knowledge the actual amount of virus you get injected with is very important, it's not a binary caught/not caught thing.
    - joshstrange 7y ago
      Agreed, from my research it's all about giving your body time to develop antibodies and due to how the virus replicates the smaller you start the more time you have to fight it before it really starts to take a toll on your body.
rpedela 7y ago
The primary purpose of everyone wearing masks is so that people who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic minimize the spread of their droplets to everyone else. If the mask also protects you from sick people, that is an added benefit but secondary. Only N95 masks worn properly can guarantee protection for the wearer. That means covering the mouth is most important because even breathing releases droplets. And the nose should be covered too, but only covering the mouth does help.
- gdubs 7y ago
  [edit after re-reading parent comment] This article offers some links and data on the effectiveness of even homemade masks at filtering particles: https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/diy-homemade-mask-protect-virus-coronavirus/ https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/diy-homemade-mask-protec...
  - oski 7y ago
    The link you posted is commercial (selling air filters), better to link to the original study from which this is based: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258525804_Testing_the_Efficacy_of_Homemade_Masks_Would_They_Protect_in_an_Influenza_Pandemic https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258525804_Testing_t...
  - pacala 7y ago
    Liability. Tell people that makeshift masks offer coronavirus protection, and hear the class action lawyers sharpening their quills from a hundred miles. Even if the masks, deployed at scale, help reduce the R factor.
    - oski 7y ago
      Just have employees sign a waiver.
      - pacala 7y ago
        That's a good point. To complete: Just tell CDC to tell employers to have employees sign a waver.
onetimemanytime 7y ago
sadly, I think we all will get it. Apparently it is spread even by the infected talking or breathing. No way around it. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-spread-white-house-letter/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronaviru... "This letter responds to your question concerning the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread by conversation, in addition to sneeze/cough-induced droplets," the letter states. "Currently available research supports the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread via bioaerosols generated directly by patients' exhalation," it continues.
ck2 7y ago
Neither does 6 feet. It's all safety theater. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-travel-cdc-who-coughing-sneezing-covid-19-a9438931.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronaviru...
- JoeAltmaier 7y ago
  Its not about guarantees. Its about reducing the infection exponent. Which all of these recommendations absolutely help with.
  - ck2 7y ago
    I think my point is being misunderstood. 6 feet is not enough, at all. Yeah it's "more than nothing" but is that what we should be aiming for? Or a little higher.
    - JoeAltmaier 7y ago
      Ok, sure. Its just that its popular to post rags on the recommendations like they don't matter. Without any actionable suggestions. Which is not very helpful.
    - viewer5 7y ago
      What's the proper distance?
      - ck2 7y ago
        There may not be any safe distance in the same room/area with someone who is infected even asymptomatic without fever (yet) https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-spread-white-house-letter/ https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-sp... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-travel-cdc-who-coughing-sneezing-covid-19-a9438931.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronaviru...
    - acomar 7y ago

nitrogen 7y ago

Sadly even professionals like dentists do this wrong sometimes.

SlowRobotAhead 7y ago

If you don’t have an N95 mask, it isn’t ultra important. I figure the masks that aren’t stopping virus anyhow are at least reminders to not touch your face / be careful.

joshstrange 7y ago
> I figure the masks that aren’t stopping virus anyhow I don't agree with that statement. Even if it only blocks 1/2 of the viral load you are better off. Best case: you don't get any of the virus, worst case: you get a smaller dose which helps your odds.
- aledalgrande 7y ago
  Yeah from my limited knowledge the actual amount of virus you get injected with is very important, it's not a binary caught/not caught thing.
  - joshstrange 7y ago
    Agreed, from my research it's all about giving your body time to develop antibodies and due to how the virus replicates the smaller you start the more time you have to fight it before it really starts to take a toll on your body.

rpedela 7y ago

The primary purpose of everyone wearing masks is so that people who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic minimize the spread of their droplets to everyone else. If the mask also protects you from sick people, that is an added benefit but secondary. Only N95 masks worn properly can guarantee protection for the wearer. That means covering the mouth is most important because even breathing releases droplets. And the nose should be covered too, but only covering the mouth does help.

gdubs 7y ago
[edit after re-reading parent comment] This article offers some links and data on the effectiveness of even homemade masks at filtering particles: https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/diy-homemade-mask-protect-virus-coronavirus/ https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/diy-homemade-mask-protec...
- oski 7y ago
  The link you posted is commercial (selling air filters), better to link to the original study from which this is based: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258525804_Testing_the_Efficacy_of_Homemade_Masks_Would_They_Protect_in_an_Influenza_Pandemic https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258525804_Testing_t...
- pacala 7y ago
  Liability. Tell people that makeshift masks offer coronavirus protection, and hear the class action lawyers sharpening their quills from a hundred miles. Even if the masks, deployed at scale, help reduce the R factor.
  - oski 7y ago
    Just have employees sign a waiver.
    - pacala 7y ago
      That's a good point. To complete: Just tell CDC to tell employers to have employees sign a waver.

onetimemanytime 7y ago

sadly, I think we all will get it. Apparently it is spread even by the infected talking or breathing. No way around it. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-spread-white-house-letter/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronaviru... "This letter responds to your question concerning the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread by conversation, in addition to sneeze/cough-induced droplets," the letter states. "Currently available research supports the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread via bioaerosols generated directly by patients' exhalation," it continues.

ck2 7y ago

Neither does 6 feet. It's all safety theater. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-travel-cdc-who-coughing-sneezing-covid-19-a9438931.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronaviru...

JoeAltmaier 7y ago
Its not about guarantees. Its about reducing the infection exponent. Which all of these recommendations absolutely help with.
- ck2 7y ago
  I think my point is being misunderstood. 6 feet is not enough, at all. Yeah it's "more than nothing" but is that what we should be aiming for? Or a little higher.
  - JoeAltmaier 7y ago
    Ok, sure. Its just that its popular to post rags on the recommendations like they don't matter. Without any actionable suggestions. Which is not very helpful.
  - viewer5 7y ago
    What's the proper distance?
    - ck2 7y ago
      There may not be any safe distance in the same room/area with someone who is infected even asymptomatic without fever (yet) https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-spread-white-house-letter/ https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-sp... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-travel-cdc-who-coughing-sneezing-covid-19-a9438931.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronaviru...
  - acomar 7y ago