5 ms·
Shorter form: N95s might be better and "barriers to transmission and hygienic measures (wearing masks, gloves and gowns) can be effective". This is mush. The R
by BrendanEich 6y ago
Shorter form: N95s might be better and "barriers to transmission and hygienic measures (wearing masks, gloves and gowns) can be effective". This is mush.
The RCT papers on hospital mask users I've read either count only N95s, or confound them as the main mask type by including polypropylene masks too. The statistically significant results support N95s when fitted well.
Mask mandates for civilians are polyprop or even cloth. Not N95s, which are infeasible for general population members. WHO and CDC did not recommend masks for general populations in past respiratory virus outbreaks/pandemics. Are we done yet?
- cygx 6y agoFor reference, the paper I cited is available online [1], but it's different from the version I used. In particular, the section I quoted from now reads "We found no evidence that the more expensive, irritating and uncomfortable N95 respirators were superior to simple surgical masks". A citation of interest might be [2]. > Are we done yet? I probably am, but feel free to comment if you think there's still something of value to add. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6993921/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6993921/ [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19797474/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19797474/
- BrendanEich 6y agoI've read other studies that show N95s as superior, which you'd expect. They are fitted, they use an extra polyprop layer. But we can stop here, because this finding (like the many I read for N95 superiority among HCWs) did not cause WHO or CDC to advise mask mandates for all. That was novel last spring, and WHO later backed off for children.