The effectiveness or otherwise of wearing masks

[Hanna]

@nz

I saw medical professionals saying cloth masks were bad because they harbor bacteria, so you’ll get sick from your own saliva, even if healthy. I don’t necessarily believe that, cuz you should be washing it.

It seems to be more or less established that no masks but the most hardcore ones are really all that effective for keeping viruses out. And the hardcore ones need to be reserved for medical workers. Those of us who are healthy really only benefit from having a mask serve as a barrier between our dirty hands and our face. So I’ve just been cycling through a few 3M cloth masks I’ve got, which I wash daily.

I think they serve me well enough. They always smell like detergent. They’ll be too hot to wear come summer, though.

I bet I could sew some mask covers, myself. I have a machine so it’s easy. Probably could make a bit of money!

[Icon]

I got several videos on how to make them. Problem is getting your hands on the proper water repellant cloth.

[KongTaigi]

Update on online mask buying (possibly hoarding). No more ordering for now.

@KongTaigi

@KongTaigi

I am not a hoarder

All bought on eBay (except for the first and last example) with fears of things getting worse and my friends and students lacking masks. Type of mask indicated, with cost per mask (including shipping and taxes).

Taiwan (pre-rationing) – proper masks – 6 元 each (40 total)

US (Made in China) – virtually useless dusk masks (lied that they were surgical) – 20 元 each [free after I complained, and I keep them] (200 total)

Poland (not quite surgical quality) – 30 元 each [10 元 each after I complained] (50 total)

Russia (very close to what we get from the pharmacies here, wrapped well, I didn’t complain) – 24 元 each (50 total)

US (high quality; better protection than local masks; super fast delivery) – 37.5 元 each [I know] (80 total)

US (N95; premium on 3M) – 180 元 each [ouch, but for personal protection in hot spots] (20 total).

Israel (N99/FFP3; premium for 3M) – 270 元 each [super paranoid purchase, but good product individually wrapped] (25 total).

UK (FFP3/N99, SHTF scenario in my mind) – 393 元 each [first purchase of masks, too impulsive, buyer beware] (10 total)

Lithuania (3M FFP2/N95) – 147 元 each (total 20)

Taiwan (kids masks; local online site). – 10 元 each (total 40). Somehow made it to my Taiwanese friend’s kids in China . No kids masks where he lives with his Taiwanese kids and wife.

Let me know if you have questions about shipping speed, but all were delivered within three days to three weeks.

[RickRoll]

The last ones (for kids) are not surgical grade, are them?

[the_bear]

My Gaelic footy club were gifted two big cartons of 3M surgicals, brought over from NZ by a team mates father. Ironically none of us really want them since we barely ever wear masks. We’re stashing them in the clubhouse in case we need them later and for any teams that manage to get here for our big April tournament.

[bluejasn]

The W.H.Os website and video for proper mask use during Coronavirus doesnt even mention N95…makes it sounds like any mask will do and encourages people NOT to wear a mask.

“If you are not showing symptoms you should NOT wear a mask, because there is no evidence that they protect people who are not sick.” WTF???
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

[tando]

Isn’t it mostly to prevent sick people from spreading virus by coughing and sneezing?

[nz]

@tando

Isn’t it mostly to prevent sick people from spreading virus by coughing and sneezing?

The only person at work not wearing a mask is the only person hacking up a lung…

[RickRoll]

@tando

Isn’t it mostly to prevent sick people from spreading virus by coughing and sneezing?

Unless they remove it when sneezing…

@SuiGeneris

Was in Wellcome to buy milk this morning. There was a family of 5 already in the milk section. Grandma, grandpa and 3 kids. All wearing masks.The oldest boy sneezed into his mask. His grandma yelled at him not to sneeze into his mask because it will make it dirty and have to wear a new one. So the boy pulls down his mask and sneezes 5 or 6 times into the air. You could see the droplets spraying everywhere.

[tando]

Before, school disliked polluted air with PM2.5 come in classrooms, and they made kids wear masks outsode. Now, they say they will make sure fresh air come in classrooms, and kids put masks in the classrooms.

This morning, I got adult masks with a 5-min waiting time.

[KongTaigi]

They were the best that I could find that were “fitted.” Not sure if surgical grade.

[SuperS54]

If I were these polish passengers I’d be feeling very hard done by, link.

They transited through Taoyuan airport on their way to Shanghai from the US, leaving airside before trying to re-enter after checking in for their next flight. ~3000 masks were taken from them, even though they were not purchased in Taiwan.

One of the most concerning statements in the article though is that, “the seized face masks will be redistributed for use in the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”! These masks of unknown origin, unknown storage and carriage conditions will be redistributed?!

[ziuk]

I don’t know how this fact doesn’t get more attention. The masks do not protect you from the virus, but everyone is frantically stocking up on them like they’re magical shields. Either people are unaware and just assume that if everyone else is wearing them, they must work. Or they’re ignoring the information because it makes them feel safer. Basically cognitive dissonance.

[MalcolmReynolds]

Tanshui, 11:50am. Line was much shorter than in past days. Only 29 people were waiting. I could have been #30 if I gave a crap.

[Super_Fire]

@ziuk

I don’t know how this fact doesn’t get more attention. The masks do not protect you from the virus, but everyone is frantically stocking up on them like they’re magical shields. Either people are unaware and just assume that if everyone else is wearing them, they must work. Or they’re ignoring the information because it makes them feel safer. Basically cognitive dissonance.

Masks help to stop the infected from spreading droplets and since the virus can be asymptomatic, one could be infected and not know.

Plus, it’s just a common societal courtesy. I don’t need a shirt and shoes to eat at a restaurant but it’s just something we do to make it look like we’re not raised by wolves.

[nz]

A few weeks back, I was at someone’s house and they had the news on, which of course is always on a loop. The number of times they showed clips of people in mask factories sorting and counting masks with their bare hands made me cringe.
With the logic that they have about seizing and redistributing masks, if you wanted to destroy Taiwan, you could just infect a bazillion of them with whatever disease you want and “try to sneak them out”. Covid-19 has already been suggested as an engineered weapon.

Today, I had my students brainstorm ways to avoid getting sick. The number of students who “called me out” for not wearing a mask was quite high. I pulled up the actual stats about the effectiveness of wearing a mask. Boom! I also wouldn’t let students leave the classroom area until all of them washed their hands properly (they were getting ready for lunch)

[lostinasia]

@ziuk

I don’t know how this fact doesn’t get more attention.

Eh, I’d say it’s got a lot of attention - it comes up every two or three hundred posts in the monster Covid-19 thread. However, if everyone’s wearing a mask, as @Super_Fire points out, it’s courtesy to wear one - we’re in a country where mask-wearing is pretty normal anyway. As well, if only the sick people were in masks, I can easily imagine them becoming pariahs - and no wants that, so no one would wear a mask.

Now, the tokenism of the masks - people perhaps assuming “Oh, I’ve got a mask, so now I’m fine, no more hand-washing, yay!” - is a whole other issue.

[tando]

And, schools want kids wear masks.

[MalcolmReynolds]

@tando

And, schools want kids wear masks.

Well, actually that isn’t necessarily accurate across all schools.

I have an acquaintance who has an eleven year old son in 6th grade at a public elementary school in Tanshui. He’s got 22 students in his class including himself. Only three students wore masks in class today and 19 went without and the teacher also went without wearing one.

According to the boy, the students aren’t required to wear masks unless they are sick or have symptoms of illness.

He wore a mask because his mother and father are doctors and told him to not go without.

So, I think things will really start to spread because as far as we know, it can be spread even without symptoms.

[tando]

NTC mandated masks for buxibans if classrooms are closed space.