The mask doesn’t prevent the spread, it just slows it. Look at the data from the various states about the effectiveness of lockdowns and mask mandates, they had a number of total cases per capita, they just had a flatter curve.
Pushing for masks made a ton of sense in the first couple years of the pandemic when hospitals were getting overrun, but wearing a mask today doesn’t really prevent anything. COVID is already endemic, so the best you’re going to do is increase the time between infections a bit.
When I got COVID last, I was on vacation and had to get home, so I tested myself as soon as I was able, self-quarantined as best I could, wore an N95 mask when I couldn’t, and put off unnecessary trips to the store. Once I had recovered, I went back to not wearing a mask. That’s how we should treat it. I do the same for colds, the flu, etc. I’m not wearing a mask unless I’m either sick or likely to be directly in contact with those who are at risk.
Catching water particles, which carries the virus.
N95 masks do a really good job (something like 80% reduction in transmission), but most people wear those typical surgical masks (or worse, a single-layer cloth mask with almost no protection) that merely reduces transmission by something like half. If you’re wearing a mask the whole day, it’ll get saturated and become far less effective. So, 50% fewer particles best case (average for a full day is likely way worse) doesn’t sound like a good tradeoff to me.
That said, if I’m going to an area with at-risk people, I’ll use the best mask available while I’m there. But for all-day usage, no, it’s not going to be that effective on net.
It doesn’t prevent transmission, it reduces transmission. You’ll have similar total numbers of infected people, it just flattens the curve so people get sick slower.
I totally agree that wearing masks has its place, but it’s not going to meaningfully reduce the spread, it’s already endemic so you’re likely going to get it regardless.
That’s just… not happening. So if there’s a big wave of COVID, you could delay getting it toward the end of the wave, but you’ll probably get it. If you’re vaxxed and boosted (and I am), symptoms will probably be lessened, but you’ll probably still get it. Just like the common cold or the flu, you’ll probably get it every year or two regardless of what you do (outside of total quarantine).
The good news is that it seems to be getting more mild, or at least that’s my anecdotal experience. I first got COVID just before vaccines were available for my age bracket (I think spring of 2021), and I had a crazy fever, hacking cough, and body soreness and was essentially confined to my bed for two days, and had really nasty phlegm for weeks afterward. The second time was fall 2023 (got sick the last day of a cruise), and I felt dizzy (probably from the boat), mild to moderate fever, headache, runny nose, and low energy, but otherwise generally able to get around, and symptoms were largely gone within a week. Part of that is that I had the vaccine and previous natural immunity, but it was a completely different strain with different symptoms. I’ve heard similar things from co-workers and friends in my area (each had the 2020/2021 strain and then whatever went around last year).
It makes sense to take precautions when sick, around those who are sick, and when cases spike, but that’s mostly to slow the spread to help out hospitals, but that also likely means it sticks around longer (i.e. instead of running out of steam in 2 months, it’ll run for 6 months). So wearing masks everyday makes little sense unless you work in a cancer ward or something.
Really seems like a 50-80% is meaningful, but for whatever reason you’re tying yourself in knots trying to justify not liking wearing a mask.
It’s like saying there’s no point in stopping smoking when you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer because there’s ONLY a 30-40% risk reduction of dying. Or maybe refusing to wash your hands because every cold or flu you’ve gotten has been ‘not that bad’. Except in this case, the risk reduction is for everyone around you instead of just yourself.
Like, whatever you want to do bud, but you’re not convincing anyone that basic hygiene while you’re sick isn’t beneficial.
Sure, 50-80% would be great if that’s the average case. But it’s not, that’s the best case, and apples if the mask:
is fresh
fits properly
is high quality
But if you’re wearing a mask all day, it’s not going to be fresh, will likely not fit properly the whole time, and probably not be very high quality. Most of the masks I saw at the height of COVID were crappy single-layer cloth masks with effectiveness in the single digits.
So your average mask is probably 5-25% effective on net if worn all day.
That’s why I say we shouldn’t be wearing masks all day, we should only wear them when it’s important. That way, people are more likely to use a fresh mask and ensure it fits properly. I can put up with wearing a high quality mask for a few hours or days, but if you ask me to do that every single day, I’m going to get lazy, and lazy reduces effectiveness.
At the height of COVID, medical experts wanted to slow the spread to preserve hospital capacity, so even single digit effectiveness was fine. But these days, there’s not much point to such low numbers of effectiveness, so mask-wearing shouldn’t be an everyday thing, but instead something you do when it’s especially important. Make it a normal thing, just not a routine.
If you want a driving analogy, here you go. It’s like fast starts and stops between lights vs slower starts and stops, and everyone is going to the same place. Either way you’ll get to your destination in a similar amount of time, but the first can cause traffic bunching if enough people do it. The first is like not wearing a mask (people get sick all at once), and the second is like wearing a mask (smooth out the curve).
This analogy sucks in all kinds of ways, but there you go.
Flattening the curve was super important in the early stages of COVID because it reduced bunching at hospitals and gave researchers time to work on a vaccine. Now that it’s endemic, bunching is much less of a problem and symptoms are generally more mild anyway. If you’re sick or around those who are (or spend a lot of time with at-risk populations), wear a mask. If not, it’s basically a waste of time.
The mask doesn’t prevent the spread, it just slows it. Look at the data from the various states about the effectiveness of lockdowns and mask mandates, they had a number of total cases per capita, they just had a flatter curve.
Pushing for masks made a ton of sense in the first couple years of the pandemic when hospitals were getting overrun, but wearing a mask today doesn’t really prevent anything. COVID is already endemic, so the best you’re going to do is increase the time between infections a bit.
When I got COVID last, I was on vacation and had to get home, so I tested myself as soon as I was able, self-quarantined as best I could, wore an N95 mask when I couldn’t, and put off unnecessary trips to the store. Once I had recovered, I went back to not wearing a mask. That’s how we should treat it. I do the same for colds, the flu, etc. I’m not wearing a mask unless I’m either sick or likely to be directly in contact with those who are at risk.
what’s the mechanism by which masks slow the spread?
Really looking forward to this response if it ever comes.
We’ll you see the virus has just struggle through the fibers. It’s all very obvious you just have to engage in idiot thought processes.
You know, not to belittle anyone or anything. I would hate the moronic idiots to think I was making fun of them.
it’s exactly what you hope it is
Haha, thanks for the update.
Catching water particles, which carries the virus.
N95 masks do a really good job (something like 80% reduction in transmission), but most people wear those typical surgical masks (or worse, a single-layer cloth mask with almost no protection) that merely reduces transmission by something like half. If you’re wearing a mask the whole day, it’ll get saturated and become far less effective. So, 50% fewer particles best case (average for a full day is likely way worse) doesn’t sound like a good tradeoff to me.
That said, if I’m going to an area with at-risk people, I’ll use the best mask available while I’m there. But for all-day usage, no, it’s not going to be that effective on net.
so it slows the spread by…preventing transmission of the virus
fucking fabulous job, my dude
It doesn’t prevent transmission, it reduces transmission. You’ll have similar total numbers of infected people, it just flattens the curve so people get sick slower.
I totally agree that wearing masks has its place, but it’s not going to meaningfully reduce the spread, it’s already endemic so you’re likely going to get it regardless.
What definition are you using for “meaningfully”?
As in, move toward eradication/containment.
That’s just… not happening. So if there’s a big wave of COVID, you could delay getting it toward the end of the wave, but you’ll probably get it. If you’re vaxxed and boosted (and I am), symptoms will probably be lessened, but you’ll probably still get it. Just like the common cold or the flu, you’ll probably get it every year or two regardless of what you do (outside of total quarantine).
The good news is that it seems to be getting more mild, or at least that’s my anecdotal experience. I first got COVID just before vaccines were available for my age bracket (I think spring of 2021), and I had a crazy fever, hacking cough, and body soreness and was essentially confined to my bed for two days, and had really nasty phlegm for weeks afterward. The second time was fall 2023 (got sick the last day of a cruise), and I felt dizzy (probably from the boat), mild to moderate fever, headache, runny nose, and low energy, but otherwise generally able to get around, and symptoms were largely gone within a week. Part of that is that I had the vaccine and previous natural immunity, but it was a completely different strain with different symptoms. I’ve heard similar things from co-workers and friends in my area (each had the 2020/2021 strain and then whatever went around last year).
It makes sense to take precautions when sick, around those who are sick, and when cases spike, but that’s mostly to slow the spread to help out hospitals, but that also likely means it sticks around longer (i.e. instead of running out of steam in 2 months, it’ll run for 6 months). So wearing masks everyday makes little sense unless you work in a cancer ward or something.
Really seems like a 50-80% is meaningful, but for whatever reason you’re tying yourself in knots trying to justify not liking wearing a mask.
It’s like saying there’s no point in stopping smoking when you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer because there’s ONLY a 30-40% risk reduction of dying. Or maybe refusing to wash your hands because every cold or flu you’ve gotten has been ‘not that bad’. Except in this case, the risk reduction is for everyone around you instead of just yourself.
Like, whatever you want to do bud, but you’re not convincing anyone that basic hygiene while you’re sick isn’t beneficial.
Sure, 50-80% would be great if that’s the average case. But it’s not, that’s the best case, and apples if the mask:
But if you’re wearing a mask all day, it’s not going to be fresh, will likely not fit properly the whole time, and probably not be very high quality. Most of the masks I saw at the height of COVID were crappy single-layer cloth masks with effectiveness in the single digits.
So your average mask is probably 5-25% effective on net if worn all day.
That’s why I say we shouldn’t be wearing masks all day, we should only wear them when it’s important. That way, people are more likely to use a fresh mask and ensure it fits properly. I can put up with wearing a high quality mask for a few hours or days, but if you ask me to do that every single day, I’m going to get lazy, and lazy reduces effectiveness.
At the height of COVID, medical experts wanted to slow the spread to preserve hospital capacity, so even single digit effectiveness was fine. But these days, there’s not much point to such low numbers of effectiveness, so mask-wearing shouldn’t be an everyday thing, but instead something you do when it’s especially important. Make it a normal thing, just not a routine.
Antivaxxers are getting dumber.
I’m absolutely pro-vaccines. I get every vaccine that’s available. I’m not sure what your point is, I agree that being anti-vaccine is stupid.
Did you know staying on your side of the road while driving doesn’t prevent accidents, it only delays them?
Did you know strawmen are fire hazards?
If you want a driving analogy, here you go. It’s like fast starts and stops between lights vs slower starts and stops, and everyone is going to the same place. Either way you’ll get to your destination in a similar amount of time, but the first can cause traffic bunching if enough people do it. The first is like not wearing a mask (people get sick all at once), and the second is like wearing a mask (smooth out the curve).
This analogy sucks in all kinds of ways, but there you go.
Flattening the curve was super important in the early stages of COVID because it reduced bunching at hospitals and gave researchers time to work on a vaccine. Now that it’s endemic, bunching is much less of a problem and symptoms are generally more mild anyway. If you’re sick or around those who are (or spend a lot of time with at-risk populations), wear a mask. If not, it’s basically a waste of time.
You’re part of the problem.