Example of how the purpose of masks for ordinary people is still not understood. The ones with exhalation valves, including N95s, should not be worn around people, period. Not just in sterile hospital operating rooms as NYT claims. Cotton mask>valved N95.https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/coronavirus-best-face-masks.html …
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Medical workers need a great fit, the right mask, proper sanitization etc. because they are trying to PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM BEING INFECTED. AS THEY SHOULD. Ordinary people: we are trying to cut down asymptomatic transmission. A cotton mask, changed often, is awesome for that.
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Will a cotton/surgical/N95 mask protect one from getting infected? Maybe. N95>surgical mask and it does depend on all the stuff you hear: fit, filtering, etc. Taking care of someone sick, sure, properly-worn N95 if you have one, or surgical or cotton mask. But don't count on it.
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Fine, though everything you hear about the right fit being very important is true for protecting oneself from being infected even though it matters fairly little for transmitting to others—a point people keep missing. Their best bet is staying distant.https://twitter.com/ibrake4ants/status/1251176250682609665 …
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See the picture here? That N95 mask with VALVE has NO OUT FILTER ON ONE'S EXHALE. It doesn't protect other people from one's own potential transmission. If you're high-risk and have a leftover N95 with valve, you can wear a cotton or surgical mask over it.https://twitter.com/chagmed/status/1243611303681327108 …
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Folks, okay. Getting lots of questions. Working now on an article explaining all this (with co-authors including medical experts
). Will update here as well.https://twitter.com/tomgara/status/1251181090477391873 …Show this thread -
For people interested in the science of masks to protect everyone, here’s a detailed article laying it all out. (That’s a preprint, it’s under review).https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1249805628240953346 …
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Oh, good, the NYT article on masks has been corrected, though they don't note that there has been a correction. Still I'm glad it's corrected!pic.twitter.com/scr7K1TleW
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What? I don't understand this. I had one new N95 mask because we live in a fire region so I have been wearing it. What do you mean don't wear it around people? This is so confusing. You make it sound like I am harming people by wearing my N95 to the store.
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Only if it has a valve! If not, it's fine. With a valve, it is letting your exhale out unfiltered. It's protecting you if worn right, but not others. Consider a cloth mask over it if you feel that you are high risk, need an N95 and only one you have has a valve.
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If all anyone has is an N95 with valve — a lot of people in SF do have an old one because of fire season — they can tape valve.
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