5 ms·
> They do, in fact, protect the wearer to some extent. That may be the case with N95 masks, but there is absolutely no way that a surgical mask protects the we
by monoideism 6y ago
> They do, in fact, protect the wearer to some extent.
That may be the case with N95 masks, but there is absolutely no way that a surgical mask protects the wearer to any measurable extent. At best, it helps prevent the wearer from spewing more viral particles into the air (and even that is far from proven).
I was an early advocate for masks (check my HN history) back in February, but it's bizarre how they've become a kind of magic talisman for half the population. Some of my "mask-skeptical" HN critics at that time were worried masks would make wearers overconfident, and go into high-risk situations, and they were right.
- rightbyte 6y agoThe only empirical study I know of is the Dannish one: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817 https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817 I thought that the effect would be like 80-90% or something. But given what was established practice in january last year I should not be too suprised with the results ...
- graeme 6y agoThe CDC says masks protect the wearer. Not nearly as much as an n95 surely, but how could a mask not protect the wearer to some extent? Virus in aerosols moves on very tiny water droplets, and a porous barrier will stop more than no barrier at all. Obviously it’s way safer to simply not be in a risky situation. You’re reading stuff into my comment that I didn’t say. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-scien...