Covid-19 - Efficacy of Masks

[agulati]

Maybe we can use this thread to discuss the merits of masks/face cloths etc. This will reduce this topic cluttering up the main thread

[undercoverbrother]

I am struggling to see the draw backs to wearing a mask.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Why are they not mandatory in Alberta? My parents (in their late 60s) have a bunch of home renovations and the tradespeople have been coming in and out for days now. None of them are wearing a mask. My parents don't feel comfortable asking them to wear masks. It's ludicrous.

[CalgaryFan1988]

In a nutshell

- Face cloths/coverings protect other people, not the user. They "protect" by limiting the amount of droplets into the atmosphere and onto surfaces from the user.

Covid-19 Aside;

N95 - Protect the wearer against 95 percent of airborne particles.
R95 - Protect the wearer against 95 percent of airborne particles and are somewhat resistant to oil.
P95 - Protect the wearer against 95 percent of airborne particles, including oil.

N100 - Protect the user against 99.97 percent of airborne particles
R100 - Resistant to oil and protects the user against 99.97 of airborne particles.
P100 - Protect the user against 99.97 of airborne particles including oil.

[malcolmk14]

I haven't been wearing a mask to the grocery store, but guess I should probably start? I haven't had any issues where I wind up within 2 m of anyone but I also only go the first hour of the day when they open, or the last hour before they close.

[agulati]

I have been wearing a mask whenever I’m out of the house. Mask hygiene for re-usable masks is definitely very important though.

[burn_this_city]

At this point the anti-mask crowd appears to be muh freedom idiots, and people who think they're smarter than everyone else. I've worn one everywhere for 3 months now. Do I think they are infallible and will prevent me from getting infected? No, but if everyone wore one, the chances of random transmission goes way down.

[getbak]

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

At this point the anti-mask crowd appears to be muh freedom idiots, and people who think they're smarter than everyone else. I've worn one everywhere for 3 months now. Do I think they are infallible and will prevent me from getting infected? No, but if everyone wore one, the chances of random transmission goes way down.

Has mask use even reached 50% yet? I don't think I have even seen 20% of people today wearing them.

Just walked from my office to my car and saw 1 of 12 people wearing one.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Has mask use even reached 50% yet? I don't think I have even seen 20% of people today wearing them.

Just walked from my office to my car and saw 1 of 12 people wearing one.

I don't wear mine outside unless I'm going in somewhere or I'm passing people closely. Inside our office we are mandated to wear them except when inside your own office. +15 today was probably 75/25 wearer to non.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

At this point the anti-mask crowd appears to be muh freedom idiots, and people who think they're smarter than everyone else. I've worn one everywhere for 3 months now. Do I think they are infallible and will prevent me from getting infected? No, but if everyone wore one, the chances of random transmission goes way down.

It's frustrating that the rah rah freedom crowd is against them. At this point, they are the best path forward to re-opening everything without infections rising out of control.

If the carrier and the healthy person are both wearing masks, I have to think the possibility of transmission is very low in everyday interactions. It becomes a numbers game like herd immunity. If 10% of people are wearing masks, it probably doesn't do much to contain the spread. If 90% are wearing masks while around people they don't know, it seems common sense that the virus is not going to spread very efficiently. I'm going with that until someone shows me something compelling to say otherwise.

[InglewoodFan]

I'm still not getting out much, but it seems like mask use peaked a month or so ago. Late April/early May seemed like 75% mask wearers when I went to the grocery store or the odd trip to Home Depot. Now the same grocery store visits see 20-30% masks.

I had a new mattress delivered today and was happy to see the delivery guys wearing masks. Kept over 6 ft separation. All good.

I'll continue wearing one when I am out for the foreseeable future. Even for food pickup, why not just throw one on. Instead of keys, wallet, phone when i leave the house, it's keys, wallet, phone, mask. Not that hard of a habit.

For me, the scientific support is sufficiently convincing that it is a good idea.

I do think people get a bit too hung up on their rights in a society without any consideration of their responsibilities to the same society.

[peter12]

If you're not wearing them in "last resort" kind of situations - elevators, grocery stores, hallways etc... - you are a sociopath.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I don't wear mine outside unless I'm going in somewhere or I'm passing people closely. Inside our office we are mandated to wear them except when inside your own office. +15 today was probably 75/25 wearer to non.

What +15? Not the case in BVS or Suncor today.

I think a few weeks ago there were more wearers.

[topfiverecords]

I’ll first say I’m not anti mask so it doesn’t read that way. With 91% of our known cases contracting the virus from a known source, I’d say the most critical mask use is in the settings we’ve seen most spread. I don’t have the data but I’m guessing most known source spread means family/friends at a gathering, attended event, and workplaces. Sure knocking down that 9% of unknown spread while on the bus or at the grocery store is important, it will only be a sliver if non mask wearing groups of friends and families are getting together in close quarters.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Weitz

What +15? Not the case in BVS or Suncor today.

I think a few weeks ago there were more wearers.

Centennial place food court today, though I haven't been through much of the +15 and I've only been back downtown for one day a week.

[corporatejay]

Again I am genuinely surprised that people are willing to give up their freedom to the government for (maybe) some safety.

What is the rationale for that?

[evman150]

I wore a mask to get a haircut the other day and could barely breathe and thought I was going to pass out. Is this how everyone feels and they just suck it up??

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by evman150

I wore a mask to get a haircut the other day and could barely breathe and thought I was going to pass out. Is this how everyone feels and they just suck it up??

What kind of mask? If you’re wearing N95s you can get those with a plastic regulator in them to make breathing easier.

I like the cloth ones personally, they are much easier to breathe in than the medical grade ones. If it’s one of those than maybe try a different style/brand. I’d give you a suggestion if I was local, but mine was just made in town here. Lots of people making them on Kijiji too.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Again I am genuinely surprised that people are willing to give up their freedom to the government for (maybe) some safety.

What is the rationale for that?

What freedom? The ability to enter private businesses?