Can wearing a face mask protect you from the new coronavirus?

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Mar 13, 2020
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This is incorrect information. Research deeper into actual scientific evidence about the efficacy of surgical masks while ignoring all "expert" advice. I thought "livescience" would concentrate on the actual scientific evidence/studies available, not "expert" advice.
 
Mar 13, 2020
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This is not true, you have to reserach the actual science that was done instead of taking the "expert" advice which is just a HYPOTHESIS/PREDICTION based on intuition of how the "holes" would work. If given the choice between what was predicted to happen vs what ACTUALLY happened we should always trust the latter. All scientific studies showed that surgical masks do have at least SOME protective effect over infections.
 
Mar 14, 2020
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I was looking at the n95 masks for sale on the net. No two seem to look alike. Most of them are listed a partial mask dust, saw dust that sort of thing. Is there some other way to ID the right mask?
Your comment about fitting…If I cut a nylon stocking across the leg and then singed the edge to prevent runs and used this to secure the surgical mask. I have two boxes of surgical masks. (I was planning to sail around the world by my self and had a good first aid kit put together but life got in the way.) Might this help?
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Only gas masks (used by army) could protect us from corona viruses. They have special filters from active carbon.
 
Mar 16, 2020
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Good luck getting one. Most manufacturers are backordered until April. They were all bought out on Monday. Already seen the price gouging online on Amazon.
I just found some on virusmasksn95.com . Get them while you can because yeh, everywhere's practically sold out.
 
Mar 19, 2020
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While surgical masks and other types of filters will not prevent virus particles from passing they will stop dust, demodex mites, dead skin, aerosol droplets of bodily fluids and any other macro particle that could shed from an infected person. Most of the dust in your indoor environment is from dead skin and human hair. These particles are everywhere you go. Wearing a mask reduces the probability of infection by at least hindering that vector of transmission.

To say that surgical masks are ineffective is dangerous. It is important to understand that the protection that any kind of face mask or filter from virus particles can not be 100%. And individual virus particles are largely not being shed by carriers or active cases. Active cases are shedding virus on fluids , dead skin, hair, clothing, and bedding etc.

While individual virus particles may be floating around the environment their ability to survive UV and O2 exposure also limits the success of that vector. In an aerosolised drop of fluid or in dead skin cells or even in demodex mites these particles have a higher survival rate.

However there are purpose design anti-viral face mask available. Sonovia uses soundwaves to impregnate the surface of the fabric with metallic nanoparticles like zinc oxide and copper oxide. These particles have antiviral and antibacterial properties that destroy viruses and potentially save lives.

These masks are designed to trap viral particles in a toxic environment and evidently they are reusable after cleaning.
 
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Mar 24, 2020
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Well, if you use a mask and you are f.e. a surgeon, if you touch your mask only once with your hands and don´t act accordingly by yourself, you will get thrown out of the surgery room... so this does not really happen or you won´t have become surgeon on the first spot.

Most people touch the mask and do not seem to know how to use it. Only a mask in your face does not mean a lot.

Yes a N95 mask filters particles from the air. But you know that, if it gets close to your eyes for example, or other body parts, it can still enter your body. It does not ultimately need to enter through your nose, mouth and lungs.

Therefore I consider wearing a mask, despite the lack of resources we have, as a non-sense unless you are a doctor, nurse, other worker or an infected individual.
The effect of being infected and wearing a mask to prevent the virus from spreading is far more effective then being healthy and using a mask to not become infected.
 
Mar 30, 2020
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Regardless of what facemasks work, it is better to just do social distancing and leave the masks for the medical workers who need them.


Everyone including you seems to miss the point here, namely that we have always been made to believe as to how good our system is, yet supply chains fall apart as soon as there is a problem. Considering the previous SARS and MERS outbreaks and warnings by experts of a future pandemic over many years, everybody, especially health systems, should have been ready for this with adequate stock levels of all the things that are needed in this case. But instead of seeing the bigger picture, bean counters just saw warehousing costs as adding to overall costs and/or reducing profits.
 
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Mar 30, 2020
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yes...yes...THANK YOU for posting this so now all of these ignorant people can now go out and buy up all of the N95s so there are none for the people working in hospitals that ACTUALLY NEED THEM. fantastic.


Everyone including you seems to miss the point here, namely that we have always been made to believe as to how good our system is, yet supply chains fall apart as soon as there is a problem. Considering the previous SARS and MERS outbreaks and warnings by experts of a future pandemic over many years, everybody, especially health systems, should have been ready for this with adequate stock levels of all the things that are needed in this case. But instead of seeing the bigger picture, bean counters just saw warehousing costs as adding to overall costs and/or reducing profits.
 
Apr 6, 2020
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It is indeed very difficult to buy a mask now, and it took a lot of effort to finally buy one on a website. Although it is not N95, I think it should be enough for me. Of course, you can choose to make one yourself, but I really don’t want to do it.
https://shop.septekon.com
 
Dec 18, 2019
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Mask prevents dust and any virus thorough dust. So it is better to wear than wearing nothing.

Also it is easy to make masks wit creative ideas, washable to reuse.

Most important is to keep hands and feet clean immediately after entering the house. And avoid touching the face, drinkable and edibles, with dirty hands. Also avoid going out as much as possible and ensure family members coming from outside clean themselves with medicated soap or solution.

These are most important and common safety precautions advised by all researchers, doctors and pharmacists.

Good Luck.
 
Dec 12, 2019
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Just wearing a face mask (for instance, an N-95 mask) properly fitted) will assure that you don't inhale any sputum or spray with viral particles inside. WIll it protect you from the disease (as in you won't catch it?), the answer is no. Gloves, PPG, masks, and visors provide a good measure of protection, but only a "Good" measure and not a complete one. Hand washing, sanitary protocols, PPG and masking the patient will provide a decent measure of protection but so far nothing has come out as 100% (maybe closed-circuit plague-protective gear would do better but that would limit the movement of the caregivers a bit too much.)
 
Feb 7, 2020
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"Health care workers and those "taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a healthcare facility)," should also wear face masks, the CDC reported. "

Uhm.... why, exactly, if they don't work to stop the virus being transmitted?
They do... its not about the virus size as much as what the virus is riding on. Its riding on water drops or lugies/mucus (see bio aresols) water is to ur lungs as oil is to an engine and talking coughing or just breathing we echale an invisible mist.

The water or mucus drop holding the virus is large enoygh the filters catch it.

Ive got a 3m 6800 full face respirator . I'm really surprised more of these aren't being used by medical professionals. It's a full face shield that seals around the edges of your face and then again around your nose and mouth. I don't have it but there is a kit for this to add a hose and a pump on a battery. This would be ideal because not only does it reduce the strain required from your lungs to pull air through the filter it also has two side effects one is you stay cooler while you wear it instead of humidity building up but this mask is pretty good in the design so that doesn't happen if you quite a while but two is if you have powered air anytime you have a bad seal on the mask are rushes out which tends to keep things from coming in.
 
Apr 7, 2020
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Its better to wear any type of mask than finding a N95 mask because there is scarcity of N95 mask.
IF you wear a mask you would have to change it often during the day because once it gets damp from breathing through it, the mask is no longer effective.

There are many mask that can work for this virus, full face rubber ones will have to be keep moist so they last if not they dry and the plastic gets weak and breaks ,also the straps are weak ,i would change them out for a different set, look up plastic materials then you can find the right lubricant,

18 years in the military and the plastic mask will only get moist if you dont have a good seal
 
Apr 7, 2020
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he Department of Defense urges individuals on DOD property, installations and facilities to wear cloth face coverings when a 6-foot social distance cannot be maintained to help prevent the spread of COVID-19," Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Cameron J.L. Nelson, chief of DHA's occupational medicine branch, said, noting that this complies with guidance disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This guidance is especially important for families and others who may need to go out in public to perform essential tasks, such as food shopping," he added.
The face-covering mask can be fashioned from simple household items such as a clean T-shirt or cloth, as demonstrated in CDC's do-it-yourself guide.
Because surgical face masks and other personal protective equipment are in short supply in the health care arena across the United States, the CDC advises that homemade cloth face coverings should:
  • Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face;
  • Be secured with ties or ear loops;
  • Include multiple layers of fabric;
  • Allow for breathing without restriction; and
  • Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to the shape.
CDC officials say cloth face coverings are especially critical in areas of significant community-based transmission.
Using a simple cloth face covering not only can slow the spread of COVID-19, but also can help those who could unknowingly have the virus from spreading it to others, the CDC said.
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on children younger than age 2, on anyone who has trouble breathing or who is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance, the CDC advises.
Cloth face coverings should be washed routinely in a washing machine, CDC authorities said.
When removing a used face cloth covering, the CDC says people should use caution and not touch their eyes, nose or mouth, and immediately wash their hands after taking the covering off.
The CDC emphasizes that its recommendation on face cloth coverings complements, and does not replace, the President's Coronavirus Guidelines for America, 30 Days to Slow the Spread, which remains the cornerstone of the national effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
CDC officials will make additional recommendations as the evidence for appropriate public-health measures continues to develop.
"Everyone must do their part to protect themselves and their families," Nelson said.
Disclaimer: Re-published content may be edited for length and clarity. Read original post.
 
There are many mask that can work for this virus, full face rubber ones will have to be keep moist so they last if not they dry and the plastic gets weak and breaks ,also the straps are weak ,i would change them out for a different set, look up plastic materials then you can find the right lubricant,

18 years in the military and the plastic mask will only get moist if you dont have a good seal
Yes, there are many mask which can help & its better to wear any type of mask-like cloth mask or surgical mask
 
Mar 26, 2020
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Personally I agree with the comment above. and call b/s on this advice.

If it is true that wearing a mask will not prevent you catching the virus then it follows that if you have the virus it can just as easily also go through the mask the other way and a sufferer wearing a mask would just as easily be able to infect others. The authorities are just telling us because they know damn well there aren't enough masks to go around and are trying to avoid a panic. Statistics I have read show that a well-fitting mask can reduce the likelihood of catching flu viruses by up to 80%.

Don't believe what you are told when they are clearly giving health professionals masks to wear to prevent them catching it as well as spreading it..
The greatest efficacy of mask is in preventing the virus from being spread from an infected person even though they may not be infected. The virus attaches to water molecules. Without a mask, it can travel up to 6 ft. Check out Suayla dot com. They are non-profit as far as mack go and have performed testing with a respiratory measuring device.
 
Mar 3, 2020
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They do... its not about the virus size as much as what the virus is riding on. Its riding on water drops or lugies/mucus (see bio aresols) water is to ur lungs as oil is to an engine and talking coughing or just breathing we echale an invisible mist.

The water or mucus drop holding the virus is large enoygh the filters catch it.

Ive got a 3m 6800 full face respirator . I'm really surprised more of these aren't being used by medical professionals. It's a full face shield that seals around the edges of your face and then again around your nose and mouth. I don't have it but there is a kit for this to add a hose and a pump on a battery. This would be ideal because not only does it reduce the strain required from your lungs to pull air through the filter it also has two side effects one is you stay cooler while you wear it instead of humidity building up but this mask is pretty good in the design so that doesn't happen if you quite a while but two is if you have powered air anytime you have a bad seal on the mask are rushes out which tends to keep things from coming in.

Right - fair enough. My initial point remains: either masks ARE effective (in which case they will be effective in all contexts, albeit to a greater or lesser extent due to a greater or lesser extent of encountering the virus) or they are not. The official guidance of Feb/March was manifestly BS and that was clear at the time; that the admin on LiveScience bought into it was and remains surprising.
 
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