Masks?

[diddlydo]

Is there any evidence that homemade face masks serve any useful purpose? Why did infections fall dramatically in the Spring lockdown when masks weren't even required? Perhaps Sqad in particular would care to comment?

[ToraToraTora]

home made or not most of them serve no purpose whatsoever but people feel they do. Oddly enough there is some suggestion that they are actually a bad idea because people think that by wearing a mask they don't have to take other measures.

[New Judge]

It was stated by the WHO early on in the pandemic that widespread wearing of non-medical grade face-coverings by the wider population was of little benefit. They also published quite a long paragraph on the dangers of self-contamination by untrained and undisciplined people.

Unfortunately the Twittersphere gained a hold and promoted the idea that those without face coverings were murdering their grannies. The rest, as they say, is history.

It's interesting that during the summer the restrictions overall were at their most relaxed and infection spread was at its lowest. Reintroducing more rigid restrictions only saw the worst increase of infections there has been. But of course (I'm told) it would have been far worse had the restrictions not been introduced.

[Atheist]

TTT; do you ever wonder if you're wrong? Maybe your opinion might not be quite the ticket? Maybe you might be giving out flawed 'information' that might lead to bad consequences? Would that worry you at all? Or do you simply presume that sensible people will ignore you, and if they don't, that's their problem? In a nutshell, why are you so cocksure?

[New Judge]

You can look up the WHO paper published at the time to see what they said. It largely concurs with Tora's assessment.

His comments should not lead to "bad consequences" as people are mandated by law to wear face coverings and even if they were not they can always make up their own minds (heaven forbid).

[Atheist]

NJ; Heaven forbid they should make up their own minds? What kind of human being are you?

[royfromaus]

A lesser human being than you, ….obviously

Then again few can match your wonderfulness, Atheist.

[ludwigvan]

Play nicely children.

[Stickybottle]

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/study-measures-effectiveness-of-different-face-mask-materials-when-coughing

Make up your own mind from an evidence based link

[Stickybottle]

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/face-masks/article/best-reusable-face-masks-awLeA3A6XoZD

[Sparta]

No expert but it seems to me that wearing a mask must help reduce the number of particulates that can be passed to others. Can't see how wearing masks can hurt anyone.

[diddlydo]

I totally agree with TTT (shock, horror!). What seems to have happened since masks became mandatory in certain places is that too many people think it's OK to get up close when they're wearing a mask. The "evidence" suggests that most homemade masks are useless.

[ToraToraTora]

athiest: "TTT; do you ever wonder if you're wrong? Maybe your opinion might not be quite the ticket?" - well yes but It's not my opinion, I merely repeat what many scientists and indeed the WHO say because I have read what they say and the evidence and it makes sense. I am gratified that you have become one of my merry band of stalkers but do please try and get your "facts" straight occasionally.

[ToraToraTora]

^^^ BA, right there, one from you diddly would be the pinnacle of my career!

[eve1974]

Masks imho are pointless unless used correctly

Most people are not wearing them properly, are not changing them regularly, not keeping them sterile, touching their faces etc.

I believe masks may be helping spread the illness .... but I’m no scientist !

[Sqad]

Diddly.....honest ?.. nobody really knows.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the Asian countries went straight to their masks, costume rather than science. In the west we said no point as the virus was so small that it passed through the mask molecules. HOWEVER, the Asian countries seemed to do better in controlling the outbreak and we,the west wondered if there might be something in this mask malarky.
Then around May/June of last year, the scientists said ah! although the virus passes through the mesh it hitches a ride on a mucus globules which can't pass through the mesh, so it would be better to use a mask.
Since then there has been arguments for and against masks, but the bottom line is.......nobody really knows.

Just do as you are told........wear them

[eve1974]

Sqad interested to hear ur opinion on if masks (potentially) can spread covid because people touch faces more n most do not keep their masks sanitised / clean enough.

Ps yes I do wear a mask

[Sqad]

Eve....lol....again there is no good evidence one way or another.
On a personal note there may be an argument that a badly fitted or an old mask my defeat the object and increase the spread, but it would be marginal.
I don't know, but I say again,just do what the Government recommends.

[Sqad]

Eve.
I am housebound, Mrs sqad ALWAYS wears a mask.

[malagabob]

It’s debatable wether masks stop the transition of the virus. Even if it stops it 1% isn’t that a good thing. I/ we wear one, latex gloves as well I might add. Plus I keep a cloth containing a weak bleach solution handy. I wipe my hands in it after taking off gloves. You may say it’s OTT but I feel you can’t take any chances. There is so much about the transmission of this virus we still don’t know.

[steg]

WHO advice on masks

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks