aTm2004 said:

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Maybe I missed it, but has any MD responded to this thread? If not, do you find it curious why?

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They might be working. Reveille hit on masks on his daily update the a few days ago:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2702236050059335&id=1998386763777604

Sounds to me like diapers should be mandated instead. Don't you dare expect them or anyone to be decent/'have a brain' and NOT get crazy drunk and pee themselves.

wxguy95 said:

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fightingfarmer09 said:

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3 months ago masks didn't work.

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In the face of not having enough masks, the choice was made to provide what PPE was there to front line workers. The message may have come across to many that masks don't work, but it was really we didn't need them while sitting at home.

Here is the latest research, summarized in pretty graphics, on why masks help:

https://policyviz.com/2020/04/27/a-dataviz-on-wearing-masks/?fbclid=IwAR2ubNXefud2mzcCGj1x-LH9aOiGaT-6TVjjfNzAlk7T4V0enoXSa5GF7Ps

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Does this article work off the key assumption that asymptomatic COVID carriers can transmit the virus?

Wearing a mask to the grocery store once or twice a week for a few minutes, for a few weeks, is one thing. But people are talking about doing this until there is a vaccine? No way am I OK with masking up myself and my 4 small children every time we want to go to the playground, to the zoo, to the pool, to restaurants, or anywhere in public for the next 1-2 years. It's just not going to happen.

JesusQuintana said:

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aTm2004 said:

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Maybe I missed it, but has any MD responded to this thread? If not, do you find it curious why?

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They might be working. Reveille hit on masks on his daily update the a few days ago:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2702236050059335&id=1998386763777604

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That study was briefly discussed and immediately mocked by the anti-mask folks because it used hamsters (even though animal models are used all the time in medical research) and then was never discussed again.

AggieSarah01 said:

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Wearing a mask to the grocery store once or twice a week for a few minutes, for a few weeks, is one thing. But people are talking about doing this until there is a vaccine? No way am I OK with masking up myself and my 4 small children every time we want to go to the playground, to the zoo, to the pool, to restaurants, or anywhere in public for the next 1-2 years. It's just not going to happen.

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I sincerely don't understand why some people think it's a big deal to put on a mask to protect others. It takes 2 seconds. Literally.

It's not any trouble. At all.

PJYoung said:

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AggieSarah01 said:

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Wearing a mask to the grocery store once or twice a week for a few minutes, for a few weeks, is one thing. But people are talking about doing this until there is a vaccine? No way am I OK with masking up myself and my 4 small children every time we want to go to the playground, to the zoo, to the pool, to restaurants, or anywhere in public for the next 1-2 years. It's just not going to happen.

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I sincerely don't understand why some people think it's a big deal to put on a mask to protect others. It takes 2 seconds. Literally.

It's not any trouble. At all.

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Um, yes, it is. It causes me to overheat and have anxiety. I can see my kids having sensory issues with it. I can do it for short periods of time when necessary, but I think it is ridiculous to expect that everyone should do it for several years. I also am concerned about kids' speech and social development, long-term, not to mention mental health.

PJYoung said:

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AggieSarah01 said:

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Wearing a mask to the grocery store once or twice a week for a few minutes, for a few weeks, is one thing. But people are talking about doing this until there is a vaccine? No way am I OK with masking up myself and my 4 small children every time we want to go to the playground, to the zoo, to the pool, to restaurants, or anywhere in public for the next 1-2 years. It's just not going to happen.

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I sincerely don't understand why some people think it's a big deal to put on a mask to protect others. It takes 2 seconds. Literally.

It's not any trouble. At all.

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Because I don't want to. So I'm not.

I remember when only N95 masks helped prevent the spread now it's any masks work. It's not that people that are anti mask want to kill mee maw its that they don't believe the dialogue. It's a way to make people feel safe but how much does it really help? i can't quantify that but I am very confident that people like dr Fauci can't either based on there constant waffling of messages. So do masks work or only n95? Does every person who wears a mask wear an n95 masks?

Proposition Joe said:

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The amount of false bravado around wearing masks is both the most amusing and most troubling thing about how our nation is reacting.

Like, I get it if you don't think the virus is that big a deal and the numbers are fudged. I get if you want to open things back up because the economy needs it. People may or may not agree with that, but at least there's a logical reason to believe it or not to believe it.

But the unwillingness to put a mask on for a few months when you go out in case the half of the population that doesn't believe what you do turns out being right? It's simple false bravado. People think it makes them look weak when in reality it does the opposite. Hell, the OP had to make a new account because he was afraid his message board buddies would give him a hard time about putting on a mask.

You can sit in a lawn chair outside of church on Sunday and yell "God is dead!"... It's your right as an American. You can puff your chest out and yell it and say you aren't a sheep.

It doesn't prove that you are brave or smart though -- it proves you're an *******.

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Bravado really isn't the word, even false bravado. It's simply not a threat to most of the population. I can laugh at both extremes. Someone walking alone outside with a mask on, or driving their car with a mask on. It's ridiculous.

If a business has a sign asking people to wear a mask I generally will. There are likely people in the grocery/drug store who appreciate people around them wearing one. I also feel just fine at restaurants and bars where no one is wearing one. Everyone in there has made their risk decisions.

BowSowy said:

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Did you make a new account just to ask this?

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Yeah. WTH is a COVID forum for? But, darn, got off work and saw all the replies. I didn't think my little Q&A would take off like this. But WTH arn't the MDs responding? Must be gun shy, I guess.

AggieSarah01 said:

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Wearing a mask to the grocery store once or twice a week for a few minutes, for a few weeks, is one thing. But people are talking about doing this until there is a vaccine? No way am I OK with masking up myself and my 4 small children every time we want to go to the playground, to the zoo, to the pool, to restaurants, or anywhere in public for the next 1-2 years. It's just not going to happen.

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Lets have some common sense and be sensible about this....you mentioned playground, zoo, pool and restaurants. Three of those activities are outside activities that would not and should not require masks. A zoo might be considered depending on how close contact you are to others and some areas are inside. You also would not be expected to wear masks while you eat. Other measures can be taken such as distancing tables and workers wearing masks but not customers.

Small children also probably not expected to wear masks. I can understand the difficulty in trying to put them on a small child and keep them on for longer than 30 seconds. Young teenagers/adults is probably the youngest expectation you can have of those to follow and understand the rules.

Also a reminder that several professions wear masks (outside of healthcare) in extreme conditions and have done so for years with little issue....no reason we can do so as well with very few issues.

Everyone needs to be sensible about this and stop trying to point out or argue extremes and every single scenario....everyone needs to realize that they will not work in some situations and that is okay but they will in most and we can handle that.

Also stop shaming masks wearers. Ridiculous.

Proposition Joe said:

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If someone pisses their pants after a night of drinking it means nobody really needs to wear pants.

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Not a good analogy as there are some that I'd love to see not wearing pants! /dirty old man! dirty old man! Dirty old man!

Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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I remember when only N95 masks helped prevent the spread now it's any masks work. It's not that people that are anti mask want to kill mee maw its that they don't believe the dialogue. It's a way to make people feel safe but how much does it really help? i can't quantify that but I am very confident that people like dr Fauci can't either based on there constant waffling of messages. So do masks work or only n95? Does every person who wears a mask wear an n95 masks?

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n95 masks protect you but they are much, much more difficult to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Surgical masks protect others.

If everybody wore cloth or surgical masks this virus would die in a couple of weeks.

I bet they lock the screen door a well.

PJYoung said:

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Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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I remember when only N95 masks helped prevent the spread now it's any masks work. It's not that people that are anti mask want to kill mee maw its that they don't believe the dialogue. It's a way to make people feel safe but how much does it really help? i can't quantify that but I am very confident that people like dr Fauci can't either based on there constant waffling of messages. So do masks work or only n95? Does every person who wears a mask wear an n95 masks?

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n95 masks protect you but they are much, much more difficult to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Surgical masks protect others.

If everybody wore cloth or surgical masks this virus would die in a couple of weeks.

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Do you honestly believe that?

Sorry, but a study out of China asked for by the WHO and conducted on hamsters doesn't really move the needle for me. Here's a better question for the docs...are the masks they wear designed to stop viruses or bacteria? The smallest bacteria is larger than the largest virus.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/498458-surgical-masks-can-reduce-coronavirus-spread-by-75-percent-researchers

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-covid-transmission.html


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2662657/


This has been discussed on here and the politics board extensively. The CDC changed their recommendations earlier in the year. Based on small studies, that suggest surgical masks reduce transmission of the virus, especially in asymptomatic carriers. Those above studies just a few. There isn't massive data to support this policy. But it makes sense to me. Estimates range from 70-90% reduction in transmission in these admitted small studies. A surgical mask doesn't protect you from an infected person coughing near you not wearing a mask. Some experts believe the rapid flattening of cases in Asia can be attributed to wide acceptance of mask usage in the population. And some feel it may have more affect than social distancing. Again, not heavy scientific evidence, just the CDC trying to make their best informed judgement decision. Like a lot other issues with this virus.

Posted just today....

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/05/27/science.abc6197?utm_campaign=SciMag&utm_source=JHubbard&utm_medium=Twitter

aTm2004 said:

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PJYoung said:

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Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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I remember when only N95 masks helped prevent the spread now it's any masks work. It's not that people that are anti mask want to kill mee maw its that they don't believe the dialogue. It's a way to make people feel safe but how much does it really help? i can't quantify that but I am very confident that people like dr Fauci can't either based on there constant waffling of messages. So do masks work or only n95? Does every person who wears a mask wear an n95 masks?

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n95 masks protect you but they are much, much more difficult to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Surgical masks protect others.

If everybody wore cloth or surgical masks this virus would die in a couple of weeks.

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Do you honestly believe that?

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Absolutely. Masks work on a virus like this.

It's too bad some people think they're too inconvenient.

The graphic you linked states "no mask maximizes exposure." In a lab experiment this could be considered true. In real life however, that is factually innacurate. There are a lot of things inbetween wearing a mask and not wearing a mask that a person can do to avoid spreading a virus. To say otherwise is a propaganda.

Very true. I always cough or sneeze into my elbow. Don't really like closely talking to anyone other than my husband, and have a pretty quiet voice. Not sure how much more effective a mask would be on me!

aTm2004 said:

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Sorry, but a study out of China asked for by the WHO and conducted on hamsters doesn't really move the needle for me. Here's a better question for the docs...are the masks they wear designed to stop viruses or bacteria? The smallest bacteria is larger than the largest virus.

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While true, its respiratory droplets that the virus is traveling in which masks can greatly reduce.

Marcus Aurelius said:

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https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/498458-surgical-masks-can-reduce-coronavirus-spread-by-75-percent-researchers

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-covid-transmission.html


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2662657/


This has been discussed on here and the politics board extensively. The CDC changed their recommendations earlier in the year. Based on small studies, that suggest surgical masks reduce transmission of the virus, especially in asymptomatic carriers. Those above studies just a few. There isn't massive data to support this policy. But it makes sense to me. Estimates range from 70-90% reduction in transmission in these admitted small studies. A surgical mask doesn't protect you from an infected person coughing near you not wearing a mask. Some experts believe the rapid flattening of cases in Asia can be attributed to wide acceptance of mask usage in the population. And some feel it may have more affect than social distancing. Again, not heavy scientific evidence, just the CDC trying to make their best informed judgement decision. Like a lot other issues with this virus.

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There ya go. An actual doc.

Re children and speech - do Asian children have these difficulties?

Those who say just the vulnerable should wear masks - doesn't work that way.

Wearing masks at a store also helps rptect the workers who are potentially exposed more than the shoppers.

Here is my (non medical) view of mask wearing:

You know the friendly wave you get when passing a neighbor? Or the nod/wave when in cars that pass in the neighborhood or on a country road?

How about the stranger who holds a door for you when you enter or exit a store?

Do you help someone in a grocery store reach something? Maybe help find something in an aisle for someone? Say hi to the store clerks or other workers?

Tell people who you interact with to have a nice day?

In other words, the neighborly actions of your fellow humans...do you notice these? We do this in Texas. All the time. Neighborly gestures. Friendly waves.

That mask I'm wearing? That is what the mask is. A nod. A friendly gesture. A helpful hand on a door so it won't hit you.

That is ALL it is.

PJYoung said:

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aTm2004 said:

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PJYoung said:

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Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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I remember when only N95 masks helped prevent the spread now it's any masks work. It's not that people that are anti mask want to kill mee maw its that they don't believe the dialogue. It's a way to make people feel safe but how much does it really help? i can't quantify that but I am very confident that people like dr Fauci can't either based on there constant waffling of messages. So do masks work or only n95? Does every person who wears a mask wear an n95 masks?

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n95 masks protect you but they are much, much more difficult to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Surgical masks protect others.

If everybody wore cloth or surgical masks this virus would die in a couple of weeks.

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Do you honestly believe that?

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Absolutely. Masks work on a virus like this.

It's too bad some people think they're too inconvenient.

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On a virus like this? Just to make sure I'm clear...you think that if everyone wore a mask, the coronavirus will just go away. That's the hill you're on?

I don't doubt masks help slow the spread if people wear them when social distancing isn't possible. But masks aren't the only variable. I'm not cramming into a subway face to face with dozens of people in Tokyo or NYC. If you're staying away from other people, separated by cashiers by glass, washing your hands and not touching your face, those are all things that are effective at slowing the spread. It's not binary mask or no mask. I ate out for lunch today, and never got closer than sixish feet to anyone else. I was fine without a mask.

SoupNazi2001 said:

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aTm2004 said:

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PJYoung said:

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aTm2004 said:

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PJYoung said:

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Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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I remember when only N95 masks helped prevent the spread now it's any masks work. It's not that people that are anti mask want to kill mee maw its that they don't believe the dialogue. It's a way to make people feel safe but how much does it really help? i can't quantify that but I am very confident that people like dr Fauci can't either based on there constant waffling of messages. So do masks work or only n95? Does every person who wears a mask wear an n95 masks?

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n95 masks protect you but they are much, much more difficult to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Surgical masks protect others.

If everybody wore cloth or surgical masks this virus would die in a couple of weeks.

---

Do you honestly believe that?

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Absolutely. Masks work on a virus like this.

It's too bad some people think they're too inconvenient.

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On a virus like this? Just to make sure I'm clear...you think that if everyone wore a mask, the coronavirus will just go away. That's the hill you're on?

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Why not continue on for flu?

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Tylenol Cold & Flu Mask

Marcus Aurelius said:

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This has been discussed on here and the politics board extensively. The CDC changed their recommendations earlier in the year. Based on small studies, that suggest surgical masks reduce transmission of the virus, especially in asymptomatic carriers. Those above studies just a few. There isn't massive data to support this policy. But it makes sense to me. Estimates range from 70-90% reduction in transmission in these admitted small studies. A surgical mask doesn't protect you from an infected person coughing near you not wearing a mask. Some experts believe the rapid flattening of cases in Asia can be attributed to wide acceptance of mask usage in the population. And some feel it may have more affect than social distancing. Again, not heavy scientific evidence, just the CDC trying to make their best informed judgement decision. Like a lot other issues with this virus.

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Key words: suggest, surgical mask, informed judgement decision

Yet those all that turns into law requiring ANY type of mask, or fines are imposed.

That's why people (including me) don't give a **** about wearing masks.

They didn't go from 0% effective to 100% effective. Instead you have a huge range of effectiveness, especially with the types of face masks used. Couple that with everyone wearing masks as a form of virtue signaling, and of course you're going to have push back.

Show me a study on how effective bandanas are, that have been worn for 8 hrs continuous, in the hot Texas sun, constantly touched and adjusted and pulled up and down, and then maybe I'll consider wearing one.

Suggestions that masks might help prevent spread some abstract percentage, then turn into law with fines or restrictions on choice and freedom. That is what many people have a problems will, and as such, the refusal to wear a mask is actually civil disobedience against stupid laws, personal choice, and individual freedom.

An another thing, stop comparing seat belts to masks.

Do I agree with seat belt laws? No.
Do seat belts save lives and prevent injury? 100% Yes.
Do I wear a seat belt? 100% yes.
It takes 1 second to put on a seat belt, and I don't even notice it, unlike a mask.

The comparison is not the same.

Quote:

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If everybody wore cloth or surgical masks this virus would die in a couple of weeks.

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This is honestly what you took away from that simple graphic?

Propaganda?

"Max" and "Min" exposure were used in terms of the situation presented.

Very quickly this thread which was meant to be informative has been taken over by non-sensible posters lacking common sense who seem like they can't deal with a tiny bit of hardship asked of them.

You may think that not wearing a mask makes you look "cool" and a "rebel", but crying about it makes you look weak. High school stuff and mentality honestly.