"Masks don't protect you; they protect others"

amother

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 2:42 pm

So I keep hearing this, and I really don't understand.

Yes, I get that by wearing a mask you are protecting others. But by wearing a mask you are definitely also protecting yourself.

Just like the wearer is blocking his droplets from getting to others, by covering your mouth and nose you are blocking others droplets from entering your mouth and nose.

Whats the difference where the barrier is?

smss

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 2:57 pm

Good question! Here's a good explanation https://www.masktoprotect.org/why-mask

In short, regular masks (not N95) are more about not transmitting virus to others than about protecting you (though they definitely offer some protection). If we all wear masks, that's ideal!

Ora in town

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 3:07 pm

There are several types of masks. some really close off the air you breathe, and everything goes through a filter. They are called FFP2 or N95 masks. Those masks protect the wearer and are appropriate for at-risk-persons and medical personnel who know they are exposed to the virus.

Surgical masks keep droplets from going out of your mouth or nose (as long as they are not damp), but they don't keep the air from coming in unfiltered around the mask.

So they would protect against bigger droplets that would be projected on you, but they would not protect against small droplets in suspension in the air... because those small droplets or the virus in them would get sucked in with the air around the mask. So it is some protection, but not 100%, not enough for at risk persons or when you know the virus is around you, but quite good enough for daily use in areas that are not particularly exposed, just to make sure...

The korean chief virologist said he was astonished that so many non-asian countries did not adopt masks at the beginning of the pandemic, he is convinced that (simple surgical) masks do a lot by ways of prevention. And indeed Korea controlled the pandemic mainly thanks to masks and strict tracking, testing and quarantining, but without general lockdown...

amother

Lemon

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 4:40 pm

DrMom wrote:

They do both, to different extents.

I thunk they just emphasize that they are for the protection of others because then people can't say, "Hey, if I don't want to wear a mask, that should be my choice."

Nobody cares about others!!!
My poor snowflake self finds it hard to breathe, claustrophobic, uncomfortable, unattractive, .....
It's my constitutional right to be selfish and I'll fight it in the name of mental health.

amother

Mistyrose

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:20 pm

amother [ Lemon ] wrote:

I'm kind of sad that I can't tell if you're sarcastic or not.

amother

Lemon

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:29 pm

amother [ Mistyrose ] wrote:

I'm kind of sad that I can't tell if you're sarcastic or not.

Really?
I am speaking tongue in cheek. I am exceptionally frustrated with people who cannot look beyond themselves and have excuses after excuses to be selfish.

Ora in town

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:31 pm

amother [ Lemon ] wrote:

Really?
I am speaking tongue in cheek. I am exceptionally frustrated with people who cannot look beyond themselves and have excuses after excuses to be selfish.

Well, maybe it's not as simple as that...
e.g. those who know they had covid19 and it can be supposed they are immune, no risk to infect themselves or others...
I understand that they do not want to follow restrictions, that in reality should not be applicable to them...

amother

Pink

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:34 pm

Ora in town wrote:

But people don't know I have antibodies, fwiw. So of course I would still wear a mask.

amother

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:35 pm

Ora in town wrote:

But those same small droplets will seep through the wearers mask too.
This is not answering my question.

So again, if a mask is a sort of barrier between 2 people, whats the difference where the barrier is?

ra_mom

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:37 pm

If you're wearing a mask and the person speaking to you is a covid carrier and is not wearing a mask, transmission possibility is 70%.

If you are not wearing a mask, and the person speaking to you is wearing a mask, and is a covid carrier, the transmission possibility is 5%.

If both of you are wearing masks, and the person speaking to you is a covid carrier, transmission possibility a 1.5%.

LovesHashem

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:40 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Masks cant stop it all - but it is something. Ideally you should also SD.

amother

Blonde

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 5:51 pm

IMO it's all a bit overhyped because the virus is less deadly than it was originally or than they said originally. Therefore I don't wear masks outside and if I have a choice, not inside either. I don't believe that level of protection is necessary, for me and for you.

amother

Lemon

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 6:04 pm

amother [ Blonde ] wrote:

That is just factually not true.
(Regarding the deadliness of the virus. What you do, I cannot speak factually about)

amother

Blonde

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 6:21 pm

It isn't?
As more information came to light, we know now that it isn't as easily as transmissible as originally thought. We know we don't have to sanitize mail or groceries. We know we can't catch it by passing by someone else on the street. We know that the risk of kids spreading the illness to healthy adults is very minimal.
We know better and multiple methods of treating it. We know that for most people it's a mild illness.

So therefore, yes, IMO based on what I've read and drs' statements, the virus is much less deadly than originally thought. Masks in my neighborhood where there has been no covid cases since early May, is overkill.

smss

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 11:10 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Interesting! Wondering where you saw this?

amother

Brown

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 11:15 pm

ra_mom wrote:

All irrelevant to people in BP.

amother [ Lemon ] wrote:

Really?
I am speaking tongue in cheek. I am exceptionally frustrated with people who cannot look beyond themselves and have excuses after excuses to be selfish.

I guess I live in a selfish neighborhood in Brooklyn. I leave the house with a mask on, and then I hit 13th and see no masks, and I put my mask away.

Al Tifrosh Min Hatzibur?