7 ms·

Steven Pinker on the Tribal Roots of Defying Social Distancing

28 points by dnetesn 6y ago

playingchanges 6y ago
Serious question: do we have any data on (non n95) mask wearing being an effective protective method from COVID-19? I’ve heard people use the prevalence of mask wearing in countries like South Korea and their better Covid results as a type of data point, but that data could be correlation rather than causation. Any other insights? Im truly sick of the masks but would feel better if I knew there was some science behind them.
- cblum 6y ago
  The consensus seems to be that you should wear a mask not to protect yourself from the virus, but to prevent spread in case you're carrying it and have no symptoms. If everyone wears a mask, contagion is dramatically reduced.
  - johnpaulkiser 6y ago
    I think the parent was asking for sources.
- FabHK 6y ago
  This recent Axios article has some pointers: https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-face-mask-science-e9df446b-e7fb-447b-a980-67a9cf73556a.html https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-face-mask-science-e9df446b... (BTW, why the downvotes for the original poster? He is not advocating not wearing masks, just expressing his personal unease with them, and asking for evidence. FWIW, I also don't like them, and nevertheless think one should wear them (like condoms)). EDIT to add: Some direct links (from the article) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6... https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818 https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.0... https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342198360_Association_of_country-wide_coronavirus_mortality_with_demographics_testing_lockdowns_and_public_wearing_of_masks_Update_June_15_2020 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342198360_Associati... https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/mario-molina-coronavirus-face-masks-pnas https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/mario-moli...
  - hadron_bumper 6y ago
    It always baffled me how people keep demanding "evidence" for the benefits of wearing masks when even a simple observation provides it. There's plenty of videos of experiments you can conduct yourself (like the the aerosol ones or just people trying to blow out a candle) showing how masks stop spreading the virus. Also, have a look at you own monitor screen. See all the funny, dirty dots? That's your spit. Does that compute now?
- mattm 6y ago
  This article was the most convincing for me http://archive.is/QHU1H http://archive.is/QHU1H
- redelbee 6y ago
  First answer from Google: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/ The research includes cloth masks, medical masks, and respirators in community and medical settings. Conclusion: “ The study suggests that community mask use by well people could be beneficial, particularly for COVID-19, where transmission may be pre-symptomatic. The studies of masks as source control also suggest a benefit, and may be important during the COVID-19 pandemic in universal community face mask use as well as in health care settings. Trials in healthcare workers support the use of respirators continuously during a shift. This may prevent health worker infections and deaths from COVID-19, as aerosolisation in the hospital setting has been documented.”
- baxtr 6y ago
  It seems to be well researched and documented by now that masks are quite effecting in reducing transmissions https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6498/1422.full https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6498/1422.full
  - randcraw 6y ago
    And fortunately, it's easy to understand the mechanism of action that explains the positive impact of masks: the primary means of covid spread is virus conveyed not individually but in large water droplets. Any filter that impedes the flow of these droplets is very likely to diminish the spread of the contagion. Therefore, anyone who is physically within the field of oral spray of an infected person should benefit from BOTH parties wearing masks. If all scientific explanations also came with strong and plausible proposals of causation, science-based advice would be much harder to dismiss, whether that dismissal is motivated by mechanism-free (and evidence-free) theories like tribalism or not.
  - thu2111 6y ago
    The paper doesn't actually say that. It says nobody really knows basic things you'd need to determine that, for example: Given how little is known about the production and airborne behavior of infectious respiratory droplets, it is difficult to define a safe distance for social distancing There are plenty of scientists saying masks have no effect when worn by people who aren't actually both visibly sick and working in healthcare: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/04/commentary-masks-all-covid-19-not-based-sound-data https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/04/commenta... In fact manufacturers of ear loop/cloth masks specifically say they can't stop COVID: https://off-guardian.org/wp-content/medialibrary/EYZu2Q2X0AA9A9x-800x800.jpg https://off-guardian.org/wp-content/medialibrary/EYZu2Q2X0AA... The WHO said: https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-wear-masks-around-coronavirus-patients https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-we... "If you do not have any respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough or runny nose, you do not need to wear a mask," Dr. April Baller, a public health specialist for the WHO, says in a video on the world health body's website posted in March. "Masks should only be used by health care workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms of fever and cough." There's plenty of contradictory research out there. Maybe a mask helps if you're literally coughing up phlegm all over the place, but COVID has a dry cough and obviously symptomatic people don't seem to be the only way it spreads.
- ponker 6y ago
  Others included sources, but also, how could masks not be effective? They cover your mouth and the disease is mainly expelled out your mouth. That’s why the government really lost the public when they said “masks don’t do anything” when what they really meant is “there is a mask shortage and America doesn’t have the civic fabric for people to leave masks for the more vulnerable — instead they will start hoarding.” Similar is the pretense that the race protests wouldn’t explode the transmission of COVID — how could they not?
  - mannykannot 6y ago
    In section 7 of the elsewhere-mentioned http://archive.is/QHU1H http://archive.is/QHU1H , Scott Alexander concludes (with explanations) that the initial policy of not recommending masks was not a deliberate attempt to prevent hoarding. Note that, in coming to this conclusion, he reversed his initial opinion on the matter. And while there is little doubt that maskless protests of any sort cause spreading, there is little evidence so far of them causing the transmision to "explode".
    - zarkov99 6y ago
      But Fauci himself straight out admitted that was the intention, did he not?
      - mannykannot 6y ago
        Hm... apparently so, though in the only example I have found so far, he offers that reason as a justification for declining to recommend masks for people not at special risk. IMHO, this is was a valid response at the time, and not a hidden agenda.
  - tzs 6y ago
    > Similar is the pretense that the race protests wouldn’t explode the transmission of COVID — how could they not? Well, so far its looking like they did not. There seem to be three reasons: 1. High rate of mask wearing, 2. They were outdoor events where people were moving about a great deal, and 3. Only 1-2% of the attendees were infected. You need to get a certain amount of a given virus to actually get infected. For most respiratory viruses if you are just briefly near an infected person and they do not do something to emit a large number of viruses at one (such as cough or sneeze right near you) you won't get enough viruses from them to become infected. Here's an article about this for the Minnesota protests [1]. [1] https://www.wired.com/story/what-minnesotas-protests-are-revealing-about-covid-19-spread/ https://www.wired.com/story/what-minnesotas-protests-are-rev...
- stared 6y ago
  https://twitter.com/TheLancet/status/1267585465424719873 https://twitter.com/TheLancet/status/1267585465424719873 for a link to a meta-analysis
- powersnail 6y ago
  The use of mask has been so prevalent, its mechanism so very simple and intuitive, its down-side so little, that I think in this case, the burden of proof is on the other side. Unless scientists find evidence that proves the masks to be useless or harmful, I'll continue to wear mask when I absolutely need to go out.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- tetromino_ 6y ago
  Anecdotal evidence: Flushing, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights are 3 densely populated working-class immigrant neighborhoods in Queens, NYC. In my personal observation, in Flushing (which has a large Chinese population) average people on the street and in grocery stores started wearing masks since February. In Elmhurst and Jackson Heights (large Latin American and South Asian populations) there were no masks in sight until maybe April. The rate of Covid infection in Elmhurst and Jackson Heights is ~50% higher than in Flushing.
an_opabinia 6y ago
I don’t know, on the one hand, I’m sure he thought a lot about this theory. But on the other hand, if you just took Fox News off the air, more people would wear masks and obey social distancing. And it isn’t obvious if Fox News would be replaced with something else that would also be suddenly #1 and just as radically anti-facts, that hasn’t happened with media basically ever. If it went away, nobody would be “tribal” about masks anymore, it would become a matter of a public health campaign, just like every other health crisis that is sensitive to mass media, like first time smoking and drinking.
- zarkov99 6y ago
  If you took cnn off the air there would be a lot less rioting and racial tension. The madness isn't exclusive to the right.
  - JoeSmithson 6y ago
    In previous years, when people wanted to cite an "anti-Fox" they would say MSNBC. Nowadays people say CNN. Is the general perception that CNN is as left wing as Fox is right wing? I only see snippets of each but from that small sample, there is absolutely no comparison. CNN doesn't come across as left wing at all.
    - zarkov99 6y ago
      Maybe not as much left wing as rabidly anti Trump, beyond any semblance of reason. Even worse is their unrelenting amplification of divisive issues, especially on race and gender, always favoring the same side.
      - andrekandre 6y ago
        > Even worse is their unrelenting amplification of divisive issues, especially on race and gender, always favoring the same side. well, controversy is where the news makes its biggest bucks isnt it? we would probably all be better off if we just password-blocked the "news" channels all-together
js2 6y ago
This is the WHO's current advice: > Non-medical, fabric masks are being used by many people in public areas, but there has been limited evidence on their effectiveness and WHO does not recommend their widespread use among the public for control of COVID-19. However, for areas of widespread transmission, with limited capacity for implementing control measures and especially in settings where physical distancing of at least 1 metre is not possible – such as on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments – WHO advises governments to encourage the general public to use non-medical fabric masks. This is confusing advice. Why don't they say "WHO has no recommendation about their widespread use" instead of "does not recommend." Are they really advising against masks? This is especially confusing combined with the rest of the paragraph. What is considered an area of widespread transmission? https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and-masks https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and... Unfortunately, you then have Fox News run an article like this: "WHO guidance: Healthy people should wear masks only when 'taking care of' coronavirus patients" https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-wear-masks-around-coronavirus-patients https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-we... Then you have the CDC recommending masks, while the POTUS refuses to do so. "CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others." https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-si... So yeah, there's tribalism, but there's also conflicting advice from authorities. In my family, we wear masks when we're out among other people. I don't see how it does any harm, the argument for how it can slow the spread of my germs to others intuitively makes sense, is consistent with surgeons wearing masks to prevent infecting patients, and there's anecdotal and initial research that it helps. What is the WHO's problem?
- YeGoblynQueenne 6y ago
  >> Why don't they say "WHO has no recommendation about their widespread use" instead of "does not recommend." Are they really advising against masks? Yes, they are, because there are potential risks associated with wearing a mask, not only potential benefits: The likely disadvantages of the use of mask by healthy people in the general public include: • potential increased risk of self-contamination due to the manipulation of a face mask and subsequently touching eyes with contaminated hands;(48, 49) • potential self-contamination that can occur if non-medical masks are not changed when wet or soiled. This can create favourable conditions for microorganism to amplify;* • potential headache and/or breathing difficulties, depending on type of mask used; • potential development of facial skin lesions, irritant dermatitis or worsening acne, when used frequently for long hours;(50) • difficulty with communicating clearly; • potential discomfort;(41, 51) • a false sense of security, leading to potentially lower adherence to other critical preventive measures such as physical distancing and hand hygiene; • poor compliance with mask wearing, in particular by young children; • waste management issues; improper mask disposal leading to increased litter in public places, risk of contamination to street cleaners and environment hazard; • difficulty communicating for deaf persons who rely on lip reading; • disadvantages for or difficulty wearing them, especially for children, developmentally challenged persons, those with mental illness, elderly persons with cognitive impairment, those with asthma or chronic respiratory or breathing problems, those who have had facial trauma or recent oral maxillofacial surgery, and those living in hot and humid environments. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/advice-on-the-use-of-masks-in-the-community-during-home-care-and-in-healthcare-settings-in-the-context-of-the-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov)-outbreak https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/advice-on-the-use-of... Btw, this is not a new discussion. There has long been uncertainty about the benefits of wearing a surgical mask in the community, to protect oneself or others from diseases. e.g. see this article from The Conversation dated October 17, 2019 and titled Can surgical masks protect you from getting the flu?: https://theconversation.com/can-surgical-masks-protect-you-from-getting-the-flu-125023 https://theconversation.com/can-surgical-masks-protect-you-f...

28 points by dnetesn 6y ago

Serious question: do we have any data on (non n95) mask wearing being an effective protective method from COVID-19? I’ve heard people use the prevalence of mask wearing in countries like South Korea and their better Covid results as a type of data point, but that data could be correlation rather than causation. Any other insights? Im truly sick of the masks but would feel better if I knew there was some science behind them.

cblum 6y ago
The consensus seems to be that you should wear a mask not to protect yourself from the virus, but to prevent spread in case you're carrying it and have no symptoms. If everyone wears a mask, contagion is dramatically reduced.
- johnpaulkiser 6y ago
  I think the parent was asking for sources.
FabHK 6y ago
This recent Axios article has some pointers: https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-face-mask-science-e9df446b-e7fb-447b-a980-67a9cf73556a.html https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-face-mask-science-e9df446b... (BTW, why the downvotes for the original poster? He is not advocating not wearing masks, just expressing his personal unease with them, and asking for evidence. FWIW, I also don't like them, and nevertheless think one should wear them (like condoms)). EDIT to add: Some direct links (from the article) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6... https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818 https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.0... https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342198360_Association_of_country-wide_coronavirus_mortality_with_demographics_testing_lockdowns_and_public_wearing_of_masks_Update_June_15_2020 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342198360_Associati... https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/mario-molina-coronavirus-face-masks-pnas https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/mario-moli...
- hadron_bumper 6y ago
  It always baffled me how people keep demanding "evidence" for the benefits of wearing masks when even a simple observation provides it. There's plenty of videos of experiments you can conduct yourself (like the the aerosol ones or just people trying to blow out a candle) showing how masks stop spreading the virus. Also, have a look at you own monitor screen. See all the funny, dirty dots? That's your spit. Does that compute now?
mattm 6y ago
This article was the most convincing for me http://archive.is/QHU1H http://archive.is/QHU1H
redelbee 6y ago
First answer from Google: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/ The research includes cloth masks, medical masks, and respirators in community and medical settings. Conclusion: “ The study suggests that community mask use by well people could be beneficial, particularly for COVID-19, where transmission may be pre-symptomatic. The studies of masks as source control also suggest a benefit, and may be important during the COVID-19 pandemic in universal community face mask use as well as in health care settings. Trials in healthcare workers support the use of respirators continuously during a shift. This may prevent health worker infections and deaths from COVID-19, as aerosolisation in the hospital setting has been documented.”
baxtr 6y ago
It seems to be well researched and documented by now that masks are quite effecting in reducing transmissions https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6498/1422.full https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6498/1422.full
- randcraw 6y ago
  And fortunately, it's easy to understand the mechanism of action that explains the positive impact of masks: the primary means of covid spread is virus conveyed not individually but in large water droplets. Any filter that impedes the flow of these droplets is very likely to diminish the spread of the contagion. Therefore, anyone who is physically within the field of oral spray of an infected person should benefit from BOTH parties wearing masks. If all scientific explanations also came with strong and plausible proposals of causation, science-based advice would be much harder to dismiss, whether that dismissal is motivated by mechanism-free (and evidence-free) theories like tribalism or not.
- thu2111 6y ago
  The paper doesn't actually say that. It says nobody really knows basic things you'd need to determine that, for example: Given how little is known about the production and airborne behavior of infectious respiratory droplets, it is difficult to define a safe distance for social distancing There are plenty of scientists saying masks have no effect when worn by people who aren't actually both visibly sick and working in healthcare: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/04/commentary-masks-all-covid-19-not-based-sound-data https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/04/commenta... In fact manufacturers of ear loop/cloth masks specifically say they can't stop COVID: https://off-guardian.org/wp-content/medialibrary/EYZu2Q2X0AA9A9x-800x800.jpg https://off-guardian.org/wp-content/medialibrary/EYZu2Q2X0AA... The WHO said: https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-wear-masks-around-coronavirus-patients https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-we... "If you do not have any respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough or runny nose, you do not need to wear a mask," Dr. April Baller, a public health specialist for the WHO, says in a video on the world health body's website posted in March. "Masks should only be used by health care workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms of fever and cough." There's plenty of contradictory research out there. Maybe a mask helps if you're literally coughing up phlegm all over the place, but COVID has a dry cough and obviously symptomatic people don't seem to be the only way it spreads.
ponker 6y ago
Others included sources, but also, how could masks not be effective? They cover your mouth and the disease is mainly expelled out your mouth. That’s why the government really lost the public when they said “masks don’t do anything” when what they really meant is “there is a mask shortage and America doesn’t have the civic fabric for people to leave masks for the more vulnerable — instead they will start hoarding.” Similar is the pretense that the race protests wouldn’t explode the transmission of COVID — how could they not?
- mannykannot 6y ago
  In section 7 of the elsewhere-mentioned http://archive.is/QHU1H http://archive.is/QHU1H , Scott Alexander concludes (with explanations) that the initial policy of not recommending masks was not a deliberate attempt to prevent hoarding. Note that, in coming to this conclusion, he reversed his initial opinion on the matter. And while there is little doubt that maskless protests of any sort cause spreading, there is little evidence so far of them causing the transmision to "explode".
  - zarkov99 6y ago
    But Fauci himself straight out admitted that was the intention, did he not?
    - mannykannot 6y ago
      Hm... apparently so, though in the only example I have found so far, he offers that reason as a justification for declining to recommend masks for people not at special risk. IMHO, this is was a valid response at the time, and not a hidden agenda.
- tzs 6y ago
  > Similar is the pretense that the race protests wouldn’t explode the transmission of COVID — how could they not? Well, so far its looking like they did not. There seem to be three reasons: 1. High rate of mask wearing, 2. They were outdoor events where people were moving about a great deal, and 3. Only 1-2% of the attendees were infected. You need to get a certain amount of a given virus to actually get infected. For most respiratory viruses if you are just briefly near an infected person and they do not do something to emit a large number of viruses at one (such as cough or sneeze right near you) you won't get enough viruses from them to become infected. Here's an article about this for the Minnesota protests [1]. [1] https://www.wired.com/story/what-minnesotas-protests-are-revealing-about-covid-19-spread/ https://www.wired.com/story/what-minnesotas-protests-are-rev...
stared 6y ago
https://twitter.com/TheLancet/status/1267585465424719873 https://twitter.com/TheLancet/status/1267585465424719873 for a link to a meta-analysis
powersnail 6y ago
The use of mask has been so prevalent, its mechanism so very simple and intuitive, its down-side so little, that I think in this case, the burden of proof is on the other side. Unless scientists find evidence that proves the masks to be useless or harmful, I'll continue to wear mask when I absolutely need to go out.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
tetromino_ 6y ago
Anecdotal evidence: Flushing, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights are 3 densely populated working-class immigrant neighborhoods in Queens, NYC. In my personal observation, in Flushing (which has a large Chinese population) average people on the street and in grocery stores started wearing masks since February. In Elmhurst and Jackson Heights (large Latin American and South Asian populations) there were no masks in sight until maybe April. The rate of Covid infection in Elmhurst and Jackson Heights is ~50% higher than in Flushing.

an_opabinia 6y ago

I don’t know, on the one hand, I’m sure he thought a lot about this theory. But on the other hand, if you just took Fox News off the air, more people would wear masks and obey social distancing. And it isn’t obvious if Fox News would be replaced with something else that would also be suddenly #1 and just as radically anti-facts, that hasn’t happened with media basically ever. If it went away, nobody would be “tribal” about masks anymore, it would become a matter of a public health campaign, just like every other health crisis that is sensitive to mass media, like first time smoking and drinking.

zarkov99 6y ago
If you took cnn off the air there would be a lot less rioting and racial tension. The madness isn't exclusive to the right.
- JoeSmithson 6y ago
  In previous years, when people wanted to cite an "anti-Fox" they would say MSNBC. Nowadays people say CNN. Is the general perception that CNN is as left wing as Fox is right wing? I only see snippets of each but from that small sample, there is absolutely no comparison. CNN doesn't come across as left wing at all.
  - zarkov99 6y ago
    Maybe not as much left wing as rabidly anti Trump, beyond any semblance of reason. Even worse is their unrelenting amplification of divisive issues, especially on race and gender, always favoring the same side.
    - andrekandre 6y ago
      > Even worse is their unrelenting amplification of divisive issues, especially on race and gender, always favoring the same side. well, controversy is where the news makes its biggest bucks isnt it? we would probably all be better off if we just password-blocked the "news" channels all-together

js2 6y ago

This is the WHO's current advice: > Non-medical, fabric masks are being used by many people in public areas, but there has been limited evidence on their effectiveness and WHO does not recommend their widespread use among the public for control of COVID-19. However, for areas of widespread transmission, with limited capacity for implementing control measures and especially in settings where physical distancing of at least 1 metre is not possible – such as on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments – WHO advises governments to encourage the general public to use non-medical fabric masks. This is confusing advice. Why don't they say "WHO has no recommendation about their widespread use" instead of "does not recommend." Are they really advising against masks? This is especially confusing combined with the rest of the paragraph. What is considered an area of widespread transmission? https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and-masks https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and... Unfortunately, you then have Fox News run an article like this: "WHO guidance: Healthy people should wear masks only when 'taking care of' coronavirus patients" https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-wear-masks-around-coronavirus-patients https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-guidance-healthy-people-we... Then you have the CDC recommending masks, while the POTUS refuses to do so. "CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others." https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-si... So yeah, there's tribalism, but there's also conflicting advice from authorities. In my family, we wear masks when we're out among other people. I don't see how it does any harm, the argument for how it can slow the spread of my germs to others intuitively makes sense, is consistent with surgeons wearing masks to prevent infecting patients, and there's anecdotal and initial research that it helps. What is the WHO's problem?

YeGoblynQueenne 6y ago
>> Why don't they say "WHO has no recommendation about their widespread use" instead of "does not recommend." Are they really advising against masks? Yes, they are, because there are potential risks associated with wearing a mask, not only potential benefits: The likely disadvantages of the use of mask by healthy people in the general public include: • potential increased risk of self-contamination due to the manipulation of a face mask and subsequently touching eyes with contaminated hands;(48, 49) • potential self-contamination that can occur if non-medical masks are not changed when wet or soiled. This can create favourable conditions for microorganism to amplify;* • potential headache and/or breathing difficulties, depending on type of mask used; • potential development of facial skin lesions, irritant dermatitis or worsening acne, when used frequently for long hours;(50) • difficulty with communicating clearly; • potential discomfort;(41, 51) • a false sense of security, leading to potentially lower adherence to other critical preventive measures such as physical distancing and hand hygiene; • poor compliance with mask wearing, in particular by young children; • waste management issues; improper mask disposal leading to increased litter in public places, risk of contamination to street cleaners and environment hazard; • difficulty communicating for deaf persons who rely on lip reading; • disadvantages for or difficulty wearing them, especially for children, developmentally challenged persons, those with mental illness, elderly persons with cognitive impairment, those with asthma or chronic respiratory or breathing problems, those who have had facial trauma or recent oral maxillofacial surgery, and those living in hot and humid environments. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/advice-on-the-use-of-masks-in-the-community-during-home-care-and-in-healthcare-settings-in-the-context-of-the-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov)-outbreak https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/advice-on-the-use-of... Btw, this is not a new discussion. There has long been uncertainty about the benefits of wearing a surgical mask in the community, to protect oneself or others from diseases. e.g. see this article from The Conversation dated October 17, 2019 and titled Can surgical masks protect you from getting the flu?: https://theconversation.com/can-surgical-masks-protect-you-from-getting-the-flu-125023 https://theconversation.com/can-surgical-masks-protect-you-f...