I’m team mask, but there is actually little real science behind the effectiveness of surgical masks in prevention of post surgical infections. Which is a different thing altogether than infectious diseases spread through inhalation of respiratory droplets.
Masks......the Gov't overreach of 1918......
- Thread starter BlueRaider22
- Start date
I wear a mask. We actually have to in Ky. But I remain totally confused on just about everything concerning this virus, so there’s that.
I wear one too (bc mandates and for others peace of mind) - and definitely don't think its worth arguing or worrying about in real life. I do however think the science is worth discussion - and there is no scientific consensus, ESPECIALLY historically in the use of masks vs influenza like illnesses.
Next questions would be - if masks work, are they a must to wear forever now to protect against the flu and other viruses? If not - why?
Next questions would be - if masks work, are they a must to wear forever now to protect against the flu and other viruses? If not - why?
In some of the Asian countries people commonly have worn masks long before the CV19. Some people equate that as at least a partial reason why CV19 has not been more sever in countries like Japan and South Korea.
To your question due to the severity of CV19 and how much easier it spreads than the flu I would not think masks will ever be mandated for the flu, and obviously the one big difference is we have vaccines for the flu albeit only 50% effective on average.
As far as CV19 goes, bottom line is what is the price of wearing masks compared to the potential benefit? The answer is obvious.
Other countries have worn masks regularly for decades. So, we just might see them on a fair basis going forward.
For me, I wear a mask.
-it's a very mild annoyance
-It's a small way to show respect. You might pass by someone in the grocery store who might be at an extreme risk from something like this.
-I hate how everything become political and I hate big gub-ment, but I'm willing to put that aside. You have to pick your battles.....and this is no more of a bother to my personal freedoms than "No shirt, no shoes, no service."
-The unknown - This is perhaps the Big Kahuna reason. With influenza, you have a very good idea what it does and how it affects the body. Sure, there are differing strains, but medicine knows waaaaay more about the flu than about Covid-19. It is extremely strange that C19 can infect 2 families......one family has little to no symptoms, one entire family dies. Why is it that someone can have very little symptoms, get develop significant lung, nervous, or heart damage?......some of which may be permanent?
CatsFanGG24. So to answer your questions. If masks become more common place in the US so that people aren't as alarmed and scared.......and we're dealing with more common and known illnesses like the seasonal flu....I think the need to reduce mask wearing is much, much less.
Medicine does know much more about flu than C19...but the general public doesn't.
As many as 50%-75% of flu infections are asymptomatic. There are long term impacts from influenza cases, as well as other viruses.
I just find it odd that we are doing it (masks) because they work - we want to save lives and slow the spread...but only Covid 19 lives/infections? We lose 40k a year in the US from influenza, have 25 million infections, 100s of thousands of hospitalizations...we just hit our 186th reported pediatric flu death from the 19-20 years (and these numbers are all w/treatments, vaccines etc)...so if masks work, I don't see why we ever take them off.
I do think countries like Japan, Philippines, Singapore and South Korea should be looked into right now. All have high mask compliance (some of the highest in the world) - and all have completely different results...2 currently experience highest rate of case increases in the world, one remained low and steady and one has a US-like double hump.
Masks in common...but totally different results...would point to looking at other reasons for success/failure.
Because...
#1 - Covid is new and scary
#2 - If the flu starts to kill ~160,000 people in 5 months........which "might" equate to ~350,000 deaths in a calendar year. As opposed to 60-80k like the flu.
So there is an acceptable amount of “preventable” deaths...C19 being 4x of flu in the age ranges over 70 (a large # of deaths) is mask worthy, pediatric flu deaths being 4x (admittedly small total numbers) not as mask worthy.
I think that’s fair of you to admit there’s acceptable death and 40k preventable from masks (if they work as advertised) isn’t necessarily worth masks in normal, non scary years.
I think that’s fair of you to admit there’s acceptable death and 40k preventable from masks (if they work as advertised) isn’t necessarily worth masks in normal, non scary years.
I think it's mainly the unknown of the new kid on the block. A few yrs from now, Covid-19 will be around still but much more will be known.......the general populace will have multiple years of desensitizing all of it's effects......there'll be a further drop in deaths, side-effects, etc. The media won't sell it. Politicians will be on their new "topic du jour." Etc. Masks won't be worn nearly as much due solely to Covid.
However, I think we just might see some people wear more masks on a fair basis.....Flu season, etc.
I bought a UK branded mask at All Sports in Lex. two weeks, ago. American made, no less!
Glad you bought a UK branded mask, I've heard from a reputably source that the UofL branded masks let all the viruses in.
There are zillion of other pieces of evidence that masks serve to prevent the spread of the virus besides this. Here is an article the documents visual evidence done in a laboratory showing the efficacy of masks:
SEEING IS BELIEVING: EFFECTIVENESS OF FACEMASKS
“Our researchers have demonstrated how masks are able to significantly curtail the speed and range of the respiratory droplets and jets. Moreover, they have uncovered how emulated coughs can travel noticeably farther than the currently recommended six-foot distancing guideline,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.
So who do I believe my lying eyes or the conspiracy theorists?
Do they have a study of people wearing masks below their noses ?
Or people wearing the same nasty homemade mask every day?
Or people wearing the same surgical mask all day but taking it off and on all day?
Those are what I see all day every day.