Just so we're clear: You don't think that it would make more sense to wear a mask when: the wind is zero mph, and the beach is crowded, and you are with people outside of your household, and you have underlying conditions?
that is a good question. it seems unlikely much spread has been seen at beaches... I would like to know what the data shows? here is what the WHO said very recently... https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsa...e-significant-source-of-covid-19-transmission ... "There is some evidence emerging, but it is not definitive," said Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi, WHO's technical lead for infection prevention and control, at a press conference Tuesday. "The possibility of airborne transmission in public settings, especially in very specific conditions — crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings — cannot be ruled out." WHO's scientific brief references "some outbreak reports related to indoor crowded spaces [which] have suggested the possibility of aerosol transmission, combined with droplet transmission, for example, during choir practice, in restaurants or in fitness classes," but says that transmission in these cases could also be explained by close contact with respiratory droplets and touching contaminated surfaces. WHO recommends taking specific precautions against aerosols only in hospital settings during specific procedures such as inserting a breathing tube into a patient. That's been WHO's position since its first guidance documents on infection prevention and control of the novel coronavirus, issued Jan. 10.
Good pic. I understand the narrative but I see people in the media, who are slamming people for not wearing masks, wearing masks with exhale valves which trap basically nothing or they wear them under their noses?
Masks work, its a certainty but of course the valve ones, particularly the front facing ones while good for the wearer if not infected need at least a surgical mask as well over that a valve. They are banned in many places now. I would have swiftly standardised the best masks and materials and given the materials to anyone who can make them. I would have made that a high national priority as well as making fan/battery assisted models for people with any existing lung capacity issues. The virus would be controlled by now, not eliminated but seriously tamed and with less lockdown reversal. It will have to go this way with masks. I would absolutely welcome herd immunity except its just not looking good. Decent mask discipline, hygiene and wait for immunisation shots means a lot less suffering and death. If it actually works the new molecular spectroscopy chips the Israelis have cooked up that can detect the virus directly in breath samples in minutes will really game change.
Masks are to protect the user and the public. Asymptomatic infection is insidous. There is no early warning that someone is infectious if they are not actively coughing or sneezing with a respiratory virus. You just don’t know who to avoid. Further, how do you know someone has not coughed or sneezed in a grocery store, in a corner of a restaurant, or earlier in a line of people waiting to be served? Covid-19 can stay active on surfaces for hours, including packages of food. For example, you open a package of mushrooms, or whatever, with your bare hands and absent mindedly pop one into your mouth while cooking. Our medical and political leadership need to unambiguously tell us what we need to wear, how we should wear it, and how long can we wear it before either disinfecting it or replacing it. We have all heard of social distancing, the importance of throughly washing hands, avoiding touching one’s face for the usual several times per hour, and to disinfect frequently used surfaces. An outstanding benefit of gloves is that you become much more aware of when you touch your face or are about to eat a food, such as a sandwich, with your hands. N95 masks, goggles, and gloves (Preferably doubled) can provide solid protection if properly put on, worn, and taken off. This can be taught to the general public. It comes down to people being focused on what they are doing when they are dealing with PPE. Public self serve drinks and condiments are another source of potential infection. Although 100% compliance with anti-virus best practices are not likely, if we can get enough people on board to get the r0 below 1, Covid-19 should eventually disappear. Obviously, the more people participate, the sooner Covid-19 disappears. The last thing we need is reverse zoonosis, where we infect our pets and other animals with Covid-19 and these animals later cause reinfection back to humans.
Please do. The people and economic savior is getting solid engineering work done and mass production of elegant equipment. e.g. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.xda-developers.com/huami-n95-mask-project-aeri/amp/
This is critical... do you really know that asymptomatic people spread the virus in significant numbers.... Please show the data on asymptomatic transmission. All I have seen are models... no real data. I would love to see those studies. --- All I have read is that the WHO said the data is hard to find and member countries have reported very little asymptomatic transmission. They said this in a June 5th paper and then a a few days later a spokesperson said it ... but then backtracked. Then they backed tracked and said... https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/09/who-comments-asymptomatic-spread-covid-19/ top World Health Organization official clarified on Tuesday that scientists have not determined yet how frequently people with asymptomatic cases of Covid-19 pass the disease on to others, a day after suggesting that such spread is “very rare.” The clarification comes after the WHO’s original comments incited strong pushback from outside public health experts, who suggested the agency had erred, or at least miscommunicated, when it said people who didn’t show symptoms were unlikely to spread the virus. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on the Covid-19 pandemic, made it very clear Tuesday that the actual rates of asymptomatic transmission aren’t yet known.