Do you really trust that mask?
 

During a golf cart ride, something occurred that prompted me to do a little research. We were passing through a section of the multi-modal path where we were alone....no one was visible in front of us and no one had passed us going the opposite direction for some time. We both detected the strong smell of aftershave. I recognized the scent because I have a friend who uses too much of it daily. We had our masks around our necks and pulled them up to cover our faces. We could still smell the aftershave for some time as we drove along.

When I got home I did some research. The particle size of the airborne perfumes is between 30 and 150 micrometers. The particle size of the COVID-19 virus is 70-90 nanometers...a nanometer is 1000 times smaller than a micrometer.

I draw two conclusions:
1. Airborne particles can hang around for a decent amount of time
2. If I can smell perfumes through my mask, I can also inhale
COVID-19 particles through it.

Note: I have never assumed that the mask is protecting me, but might be protecting others, but there are many who feel bulletproof while wearing homemade masks.

There were days I didn’t trust my 95, even though you do a fit test to ensure the correct 95.

So if you have not been properly tested with a fit test, does your mask really fit

Evidence so far shows is a strong linkage to viral load/exposure time that seems unlikely to be plausable to induce infection from the open air if social distance is maintained.

The mask is as much to protect me from you as it is to protect you from me.

The use of masks in a hospital setting is to protect the health care worker from inhaling infectious organisms from known sick persons.

The suggestion to use masks in the public is mostly to reduce the number of particles breathed out by mildly ill or asymptomatic spreaders. COVID is very unusual in the number of not obviously ill people it infects, and they seem to be contagious to others. The details on this are preliminary, very preliminary.

The size of the virus itself is not what determines if it is trapped in the mask. Rather it is the size of the particle containing the virus. With respiratory viruses, there is a particle of water/mucus/saliva/viruses which is much larger than the virus itself. As many of the particles are large enough to be caught in a mask, there may be a reduction in virus that becomes airborne. It certainly won't be zero.

Nobody knows how much this will help or if it will actually help at all. That is why there is controversy on the use of masks. The advise to use them is in the school of it can't hurt and might help.

Another intelligent, professional (and never snarky) response. Thank you, Blueash, for sharing your knowledge.

They're requiring us to wear them at work now, effective 2 days ago. Inside the store it's not -too- bad, but wiping down carts in a hot front foyer and bringing carts in under the hot sun is VERY difficult to breathe, when your mouth and nose are both covered. The sweat soaks the mask, and that makes it even harder than just wearing a mask in a comfortably air-conditioned atmosphere.

What's worse - they have limited masks, so we only get one. We have to re-use it, or provide our own.

I hate these masks. But I wear them because a) I'm required to if I want to continuing working for them and b) some of our customers have zero respect for social distancing - so if this will even *reduce* my odds of getting sick, among so much exposure to the virus, I'll begrudgingly comply.

Even the best masks, shield, gowns and gloves haven't protected all of the healthcare workers. That's why we have to stay at home until it is safe to go out. Any governor rushing to re-open their state because the numbers are decreasing are putting us all at risk. The numbers may be decreasing, however, their are hundred of new cases that are entering the hospital, except maybe a few less than the day before. And those that are entering the hospital are the sickest ones. More people are suffering at home, so don't even get counted or even tested.

I have problems breathing through a mask also.

Downfall of the healthcare workers was no PPEs available, or reuse for weeks. Nothing to do with the PPEs.

Rapscallion, I’m really sorry I read your post. I felt fairly comfortable taking a quick trip into Walgreens when needed (wearing a mask, of course). Now, I don’t know. Guess it’s “doing the best I can with what I’ve got.”

And it's a shame that your store doesn't enforce. It seems they are appeasing the issuers of the guidelines rather than care for their employees and their customers. Your store isn't alone but Walmart and Sam's are better at enforcement.

Then.....they are not listening or didn't get the memo! Do these people live in a cave? Wearing a mask has never been touted to protect the wearer. Wearing a mask protects others.

What a mask does or does not do can get repeated everyday and the next day......repeat.

As long as wearing a mask is recommended, there will always be a question.

If they were a mandated/law, rule, requirement with enforcement (at least in the beginning)....there would not be the questioning.

Complaining would continue, but with a mask on.

This video demonstrates how a home made mask does trap droplets. I've posted this same video in another thread but for those of you who have not seen it, this may explain how a cloth mask does block droplets from becoming airborne......

How a mask blocks droplets - YouTube