Well, the evidence seems to suggest that masks are not very useful at stopping viruses.
My understanding is that most viruses (including SARSCoV-19) are small enough to fit through the masks, and if you're infected with SARSCoV-19, you just breath out aerosolized viruses that go through masks. So no, they don't really do all that much to stop covid and other viruses. Masking policies as seen during cootie-mania were pretty much useless. Especially because non-symptomatic transmission wasn't really much of a threat.
That said, yes, obviously, masks may be useful in some situations. They do stop droplets of spittle and snot from escaping, which means that the germs suspended in the oral or nasal secretions are contained by the mask. Some diseases do transmit through droplets, so a mask will reduce the amount of viral or bacterial load being spewed into the environment in liquid form by a symptomatic person. Masks can also cut down on sick people rubbing their noses or mouths and then accidentally spreading infected secretions onto surfaces where they may be picked up by others. (It's my understanding that fomite transmission was shown to NOT be a major cause of covid transmission, but that doesn't mean it can't be an issue with some infections - so yes, there is some argument to be made for covering your nose and mouth when symptomatic in a public place.) Masks are also useful for surgeons and dentists leaning over open wounds and mouths, to help cut down on nasal and oral contact with bodily fluids going in either direction.
In sum, I think the only real benefit of masks outside of surgery/dental work is on actively symptomatic people. Ideally, if you're coughing and sneezing and sick, you should STAY HOME. But if you have to go out, covering your nose and mouth for a brief foray into a public area will probably reduce the amount of droplets you expel into the environment, and may help minimize touching your face and then other things, which will probably help reduce the viral or bacterial load you spread about.
If, back in 2020, the powers that be had told us to wear a mask if you have active respiratory symptoms and have to leave the house, I wouldn't have thought it unreasonable.
But force-masking healthy people was essentially useless, and actively harmful.
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branchandroot
Re: Masking as an informed, individual choice
Date: 2023-09-12 10:49 pm (UTC)My understanding is that most viruses (including SARSCoV-19) are small enough to fit through the masks, and if you're infected with SARSCoV-19, you just breath out aerosolized viruses that go through masks. So no, they don't really do all that much to stop covid and other viruses. Masking policies as seen during cootie-mania were pretty much useless. Especially because non-symptomatic transmission wasn't really much of a threat.
That said, yes, obviously, masks may be useful in some situations. They do stop droplets of spittle and snot from escaping, which means that the germs suspended in the oral or nasal secretions are contained by the mask. Some diseases do transmit through droplets, so a mask will reduce the amount of viral or bacterial load being spewed into the environment in liquid form by a symptomatic person. Masks can also cut down on sick people rubbing their noses or mouths and then accidentally spreading infected secretions onto surfaces where they may be picked up by others. (It's my understanding that fomite transmission was shown to NOT be a major cause of covid transmission, but that doesn't mean it can't be an issue with some infections - so yes, there is some argument to be made for covering your nose and mouth when symptomatic in a public place.) Masks are also useful for surgeons and dentists leaning over open wounds and mouths, to help cut down on nasal and oral contact with bodily fluids going in either direction.
In sum, I think the only real benefit of masks outside of surgery/dental work is on actively symptomatic people. Ideally, if you're coughing and sneezing and sick, you should STAY HOME. But if you have to go out, covering your nose and mouth for a brief foray into a public area will probably reduce the amount of droplets you expel into the environment, and may help minimize touching your face and then other things, which will probably help reduce the viral or bacterial load you spread about.
If, back in 2020, the powers that be had told us to wear a mask if you have active respiratory symptoms and have to leave the house, I wouldn't have thought it unreasonable.
But force-masking healthy people was essentially useless, and actively harmful.