Truth be told… the mask debate can get fierce. Both sides say they find some supporting statements from science. Real science is based on repeatable experiments where the results keep saying about the same thing. On March 8th, infectious disease expert Dr. A. Fauci, said, “There’s no reason for healthy people to be walking around wearing a mask.” Then in April, this was abruptly reversed, saying they only said that at first to save the masks for medical personnel who work closely with infected patients. I wonder what the general public would have done if they had said that right at the first. Hoarding? Or would the sewing USA people have gone right to work making masks? If masks had been a solution in Asia shouldn’t they have stopped the virus there? Ben Swain, in “Truth in Media”, reports many studies have been done on the effectiveness of masks stopping virus transmission. These were done in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. All found the same thing. Let me show you some of these.
The 2009 American Journal of Infection Control, vol 37, Issue 37, Issue 5, 417-419, https://www.ncbi.nlmnih.gov/pubmed/19216002 showed N95 masked healthcare workers (HCW) were significantly more likely to experience headaches. Facemask use in HCW was not demonstrated to provide benefit in terms of cold symptoms or getting colds.
Cowling, B. et al (2010). “Facemasks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review”, Epidemiology and infection, 138(4)449-456. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/face-masks_to-prevent-transmission-of-influenza-virus-a-systematic-review/64D368496EBDEOAFCC6639CCC9D8BCO5-. None of the studies showed a benefit from wearing a mask in either HCW or community members in households.
Bin-Rezaetal (2012).
“The use of masks & respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of scientific evidence.” Influenza and other respiratory viruses 6(4)257-267. https//onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1750-2659.2011.0037.x “There were 17 eligible studies… none of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection.”
Let me start with mentioning the N95 filtering face piece respirators (FFR’s). These are constructed from something called electret. Electret is a die electric material that has a quasi-permanent electric charge. An electret generates both internal and external electric fields, so the filter material has electro static attraction for additional collection of “all particle sizes”. Although, as flow increases particles will be less efficiently collected.
For the homemade variety, there are charts that illustrate the differences in effectiveness between various types of materials. With this information, one can choose which material is best suited to their needs and preferences. This efficiency is measured across a range of .02 to .1 micrometers at a flow of 33, and 99 liters per minute. The efficiency needed to stop a 0.125 micrometers size particle (it’s different if you’re breathing harder). T-shirt material is 10% effective, scarves 10-20% effective, sweatshirt material 10-30% effective, towels 40% effective, handkerchiefs 2% if one layer, 13% if 4 layers. We have all noticed the thicker and more effective the mask, the less you are able to breathe through it. Yet the facts are that all of the cloth masks had near zero efficiency for particles smaller than .3 micrometers. The size of the virus particle is .125, which can easily get through that. If you wear the mask long enough so that your exhaled air moistens it, that makes it more porous. Even the properly fitted N95 mask will block 95% of tiny air particles down to .3 micrometers. In that regard, you might ask yourself if it was worth the extra money.
Again, the Covid-19 or SARS-2 particle size is between 0.08 and 0.125 micrometers, (also called microns), a human hair is 150 micrometers. These particles can travel about three feet. All face masks are able to block up to .3 micrometers. Even virus laden droplets at 5 micrometers remain in the air less than 3 hours (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laures/article/PII52213-2600(20)30245-9/fulltext). Virus laden small (less than 5 micrometers), aerosolized droplets can stay in the air about three hours and also can travel longer distances [https://www.ncjm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM,2004973?articletools-true]. An open window will dilute the number of small droplets by half in thirty seconds; even a small window. Poorly ventilated areas have higher transmission potential. Thus, people who are shut inside of buildings that can’t open the windows are at a disadvantage [https;//www.thelancet.com/journals/laures/article/PII52213-2600(20)30245/fulltext]. There are so many studies, I’ve put together the rest on a separate document for you to look at. These studies are listed by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons on their website.
I’d like to briefly mention South Korea https://www.aspjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-1342. Known infected patients with SARS-Cov-2 wore masks and coughed into a petri dish. Both surgical and cloth masks were ineffective in preventing dissemination of SARS-Cov-2 to the environment and an external mask surface. A Singapore study found that few people mask correctly. Seven hundred and fourteen men and women had well-fitted masks, but seventy-five percent had the straps incorrectly placed, while sixty-one percent had visible gaps between the mask and skin. Sixty percent didn’t tighten the nose clip. Thus, any protection was nullified. More alarming to me was to hear there is potential harm in long term wearing of masks. People complain for a good reason. Fifty-three surgeons were examined using an oximeter before and after surgeries. Their oxygen levels
decreased significantly after performing a surgery. The longer the mask is worn, the greater the decrease in oxygen levels. Also, when the exhaled viruses cannot escape into the air, they will concentrate in the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and potentially can travel to the brain. Russell
Blaylock MD: facemasks pose serious risk to the healthy. For the frail elderly and those with lung disease such as COPD, lung cancer, post lung surgery, emphysema, or pulmonary fibrosis any facemask can cause severe worsening of lung function.
How else is this virus transmitted? At first, we didn’t know much and assumed the worst. Now we know that a person touching a surface that an infected person touched, and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth is not thought to be a main way the virus spreads [https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0885_article?deliveryName=USCDC_333-dm25707]. For this issue, washing hands frequently is your best defense.
Final thoughts on the subject from both Dr. Blaylock and Dr. Cheryl Steen. Surgical masks worn by a surgeon, during surgery, protect a patient from the surgeon’s respiratory droplets. The wearer/surgeon is unprotected.
When a mask is worn improperly, it is ineffective. Designer masks and scarves give minimal protection and can offer a false sense of security to both the wearer and the passersby. It can cause low oxygen, light headedness and headaches. Walking alone outside, you do not need to wear a mask. It is quite useless to protect you or anyone else.
Children under the age of two should NOT wear masks, they may risk suffocation. Get vitamin D and zinc, eat nutritious food, open windows, go outside, get some exercise. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.2005857804
One should not attack and/or insult those who have chosen NOT to wear a mask as studies suggest it is the wise choice to make.
However kindness and courtesy to each other as we make our own choice should be respected.
The 2009 American Journal of Infection Control, vol 37, Issue 37, Issue 5, 417-419, https://www.ncbi.nlmnih.gov/pubmed/19216002 showed N95 masked healthcare workers (HCW) were significantly more likely to experience headaches. Facemask use in HCW was not demonstrated to provide benefit in terms of cold symptoms or getting colds.
Cowling, B. et al (2010). “Facemasks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review”, Epidemiology and infection, 138(4)449-456. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/face-masks_to-prevent-transmission-of-influenza-virus-a-systematic-review/64D368496EBDEOAFCC6639CCC9D8BCO5-. None of the studies showed a benefit from wearing a mask in either HCW or community members in households.
Bin-Rezaetal (2012).
“The use of masks & respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of scientific evidence.” Influenza and other respiratory viruses 6(4)257-267. https//onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1750-2659.2011.0037.x “There were 17 eligible studies… none of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection.”
Let me start with mentioning the N95 filtering face piece respirators (FFR’s). These are constructed from something called electret. Electret is a die electric material that has a quasi-permanent electric charge. An electret generates both internal and external electric fields, so the filter material has electro static attraction for additional collection of “all particle sizes”. Although, as flow increases particles will be less efficiently collected.
For the homemade variety, there are charts that illustrate the differences in effectiveness between various types of materials. With this information, one can choose which material is best suited to their needs and preferences. This efficiency is measured across a range of .02 to .1 micrometers at a flow of 33, and 99 liters per minute. The efficiency needed to stop a 0.125 micrometers size particle (it’s different if you’re breathing harder). T-shirt material is 10% effective, scarves 10-20% effective, sweatshirt material 10-30% effective, towels 40% effective, handkerchiefs 2% if one layer, 13% if 4 layers. We have all noticed the thicker and more effective the mask, the less you are able to breathe through it. Yet the facts are that all of the cloth masks had near zero efficiency for particles smaller than .3 micrometers. The size of the virus particle is .125, which can easily get through that. If you wear the mask long enough so that your exhaled air moistens it, that makes it more porous. Even the properly fitted N95 mask will block 95% of tiny air particles down to .3 micrometers. In that regard, you might ask yourself if it was worth the extra money.
Again, the Covid-19 or SARS-2 particle size is between 0.08 and 0.125 micrometers, (also called microns), a human hair is 150 micrometers. These particles can travel about three feet. All face masks are able to block up to .3 micrometers. Even virus laden droplets at 5 micrometers remain in the air less than 3 hours (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laures/article/PII52213-2600(20)30245-9/fulltext). Virus laden small (less than 5 micrometers), aerosolized droplets can stay in the air about three hours and also can travel longer distances [https://www.ncjm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM,2004973?articletools-true]. An open window will dilute the number of small droplets by half in thirty seconds; even a small window. Poorly ventilated areas have higher transmission potential. Thus, people who are shut inside of buildings that can’t open the windows are at a disadvantage [https;//www.thelancet.com/journals/laures/article/PII52213-2600(20)30245/fulltext]. There are so many studies, I’ve put together the rest on a separate document for you to look at. These studies are listed by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons on their website.
I’d like to briefly mention South Korea https://www.aspjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-1342. Known infected patients with SARS-Cov-2 wore masks and coughed into a petri dish. Both surgical and cloth masks were ineffective in preventing dissemination of SARS-Cov-2 to the environment and an external mask surface. A Singapore study found that few people mask correctly. Seven hundred and fourteen men and women had well-fitted masks, but seventy-five percent had the straps incorrectly placed, while sixty-one percent had visible gaps between the mask and skin. Sixty percent didn’t tighten the nose clip. Thus, any protection was nullified. More alarming to me was to hear there is potential harm in long term wearing of masks. People complain for a good reason. Fifty-three surgeons were examined using an oximeter before and after surgeries. Their oxygen levels
decreased significantly after performing a surgery. The longer the mask is worn, the greater the decrease in oxygen levels. Also, when the exhaled viruses cannot escape into the air, they will concentrate in the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and potentially can travel to the brain. Russell
Blaylock MD: facemasks pose serious risk to the healthy. For the frail elderly and those with lung disease such as COPD, lung cancer, post lung surgery, emphysema, or pulmonary fibrosis any facemask can cause severe worsening of lung function.
How else is this virus transmitted? At first, we didn’t know much and assumed the worst. Now we know that a person touching a surface that an infected person touched, and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth is not thought to be a main way the virus spreads [https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0885_article?deliveryName=USCDC_333-dm25707]. For this issue, washing hands frequently is your best defense.
Final thoughts on the subject from both Dr. Blaylock and Dr. Cheryl Steen. Surgical masks worn by a surgeon, during surgery, protect a patient from the surgeon’s respiratory droplets. The wearer/surgeon is unprotected.
When a mask is worn improperly, it is ineffective. Designer masks and scarves give minimal protection and can offer a false sense of security to both the wearer and the passersby. It can cause low oxygen, light headedness and headaches. Walking alone outside, you do not need to wear a mask. It is quite useless to protect you or anyone else.
Children under the age of two should NOT wear masks, they may risk suffocation. Get vitamin D and zinc, eat nutritious food, open windows, go outside, get some exercise. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.2005857804
One should not attack and/or insult those who have chosen NOT to wear a mask as studies suggest it is the wise choice to make.
However kindness and courtesy to each other as we make our own choice should be respected.
