Exactly right. It almost entirely comes down to “viral load”. Masks do work to make a dangerous level of viral load less likely to transmit (in or out), and much less likely to cause a terminal case if it does end up infecting someone. The results we know say that higher loads cause more severe cases. It could very well be that our reduced mortality rate is specifically tied to increased mask wearing.
We do know that the virus continues to evolve, and right now has become “more contagious, but less deadly”, so fewer per-capita deaths, but that isn’t really encouraging. We need ‘unity in response’ to successfully kill it off… I won’t be satisfied with just a vaccine or better treatment. We can end the scourge, so why not just do it?
Cite, please. “To some extent” could mean 0.2% risk reduction, or 5% or 20% or… you get the idea. Given the huge incentive to get people to wear masks to prevent them infecting others (simple cloth masks are measurably effective that way) they’re not going to be very enthusiastic about talking up small numbers. Vague allusions in a PR piece is not a scientific reference.
Wear a mask, but don’t kid yourself on personal risk reduction. Your risk tolerance behavior should be the same as if you are not masked. If you’re wearing an N95 without training and reinforcement of supervision, I’ll guarantee you are making errors.
To bring this full circle, Ben Carson’s error was not failing to wear a mask, it was in attending an event that required him to spend a long time indoors among a large group of the unmasked. Or you could say it was staying in a job that required him to take such risks. Poor sod only had two months to go.
The measures work just fine. The problem is the lack of adherence. I don’t know where you live, but here in Idaho, roughly half the population continue to gather unmasked in crowded bars and restaurants… Not so much in Boise, where we’ve mandated masking and distancing, but go anywhere outside of it, and people are still following the Trump line… FREEDUMB!!
I’m mostly in agreement, but then I look at some of the european countries that did do things right (sometimes after initial fuckups) such as germany, italy, uk, and now see flareups after months of good numbers. Of course, their flareup numbers would be considered a success story in the US.
But that leads me to say that travel restrictions are needed too–it seems to be working for NZ. Travel if you must, but you will go into 14 day quarantine, at gunpoint. No, you don’t need to see the grand canyon this year. I don’t care that you always visit uncle fred to go deer hunting this time of year.
If you’re the only person in the room wearing a mask, it isn’t going to help you one bit. If you’re the one infected it may help prevent spread, but if the rest of the room is unmasked, no guarantee there either.
But when you and I are both masked, and 6’ apart, the chances of transmitting a viral load enough to infect, is reduced to a level that breaks the cycle of contagion. Period.
And that’s really the point.
If you sidle up to someone, both wearing masks, and breathe at each other for ten minutes through the masks, one or two feet apart, and one of you is infected? Good chance the other will be too…
It’s really that simple and obvious. I go out into public all the time now. Unconcerned. Until someone pulls up close to me without a mask. Then I curse them openly, and tell them to back the fuck off. And put on a goddamned mask!
So far, I’m infection free. I just don’t allow for exceptions to those simple rules. If someone is going to be in the same space unmasked, and refuses to wear one, I’m outta there…
And that’s the point I’ve been making in every post: mutual mask wearing is why masks are mandated, not personal protection which is negligible.
I don’t go that far, you want to get into a fight with an infected idiot? But I’ve lived in Italy long enough to know how to deliver an effective malocchio.
Oh, I give them a healthy dose of the stink-eye first. And I’m a little bit gentler than that usually. Not delivering “fighting words” typically. Plus, I’m an “elder”, so I can mostly get away with it. So far, most people just turn beet red and flee the scene. Many actually apologize and go and get a mask.
I think it’s more about interacting and communicating outside our fear-bubbles… people don’t generally need a lot of prompting to do the right thing.
But, you’re right that there are those who I am wise enough not to say anything to. The MAGA-hat wearing guys who walk around with an obvious chip on their shoulder. Unmasked specifically to pick a fight. I just let those be, and keep well away from them.
I agree, most of the “personal protection” we get from mask-wearing comes from the other guy wearing a mask… so if we all do it, it works. It’s so simple you’d think even the stupid ones would get it… * sigh *
Masks are a key measure to suppress transmission and save lives. Masks reduce potential exposure risk from an infected person whether they have symptoms or not. People wearing masks are protected from getting infected. Masks also prevent onward transmission when worn by a person who is infected.
Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive ‘Do it all!’ approach including: physical distancing, avoiding crowded, closed and close-contact settings, improving ventilation, cleaning hands, covering sneezes and coughs, and more.
feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery,”
He must be pretty sick to need “effective therapeutics” because all of them are usually given to hospitalized patients.
The statement is carefully worded to say “access”-but why bring it up at all unless he needs them?
I’m betting that he’s at Walter Reed.
