"In terms of personal protection, the WHO’s latest scientific briefing on COVID-19 transmission affirms there would be little protective benefit in healthy people wearing face masks. The brief notes that the most current evidence confirms the virus is most likely transmitted through respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected people.
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In a recent interview George Gao, the director-general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cited a lack of mass mask wearing as the biggest mistake the rest of the world seems to be making right now in regards to controlling the spread of COVID-19.
“The big mistake in the U.S. and Europe, in my opinion, is that people aren’t wearing masks,” Gao said in the rare interview. “This virus is transmitted by droplets and close contact. Droplets play a very important role—you’ve got to wear a mask, because when you speak, there are always droplets coming out of your mouth. Many people have asymptomatic or presymptomatic infections. If they are wearing face masks, it can prevent droplets that carry the virus from escaping and infecting others.”
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...two Yale University researchers, Shan Soe-Lin and Robert Hecht, succinctly summed up the reasons why they believe all people should be wearing some kind of face covering when outside.
“Cover your face with a mask,” the pair suggest. “This will deny you access to your own face and make you conscious of how often you are tempted to touch your nose and mouth. A nonmedical mask will not protect you from a direct cough or sneeze from an infected person, but if you’re practicing good social distancing, any type of face covering is great protection from your biggest threat: your own hands.""
CDC considering recommending general public wear face coverings in public
"After U.S. officials have spent weeks telling citizens not to wear face masks in public, CDC considers recommending exactly that, just not N95s. Still, the World Health Organization on Monday stuck by its position that only the sick and their caregivers should wear them. (Washington Post, CNN)
My wife and I have been wearing masks for the past 2 weeks when we go to the farmers market and the supermarket. It's a no-brainer. Some people we have encountered have parroted the propaganda that has been spread by countries that failed to make the necessary preparations, and therefore do not have masks available for their citizens. Those SE Asian countries affected by SARS in 2003 learned their lesson then. Hence they were well prepared and flattened the curve relatively quickly.
The bottom line is that we can't trust the health advice that political interests has tainted.
From my first reference: "Inglesby also notes countries with strong pre-existing face mask behaviors have so far proved best at swiftly containing spread of the virus. South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, China and Taiwan all have strong face mask cultures, and while this certainly is not the sole reason these countries may be successful in managing the pandemic, it could be a factor."
No matter what statements science may make, they punctuate their sentences with 'maybe' or 'perhaps' when it is not possible to conduct a trial or gather statistical evidence. It is over to John Citizen and his PhD in Common Sense to make a determination. In this case it is simply 2 words - 'Asymptomatic Contagion'.
Simply put, we should all behave as if we have the virus (because we may have it) when interacting with another person (who may have it even if we don't).
When the dust has settled, we may well find that the majority of cases of virus transfer were not via the obvious channels, but rather through asymptomatic contagion.
People parroting about not wearing a mask - shows you how well social pressure works. Just reply that you need protection from fungi and bacteria if you need to respond at all (like those with neutropenia like to protect against fungi, bacteria, as well as viruses with a mask even before the corona virus). Or you can use the conversation killer 'I have cancer'.
Since testing is so limited in the US, and since people can be infecting others with COVID-19 without even knowing it, wearing a mask - especially if you or a family member's immune system is compromised - only makes sense.
What doesn't make sense is the CDC's current position that only those who have COVID-19 or if someone is caring for someone who has COVID-19 only needs to wear a mask. Not when testing is so limited.
Greater spread of the virus cannot be helping the healthcare workers. It's like a vicious circle.
I believe the CDC's current policy is based on the fact that there is such a shortage of masks. If they were to tell the public to wear masks, there would be a run on them like everything else. This would create an even bigger shortage among the medical community.
I understand that is the reason why the CDC has adopted that position but unfortunately, it is easier for the virus to spread because it is suspected that 25-50% of people who are infected don't even know they are (especially without testing).
Homemade masks are not that hard to make and would provide some protection, at least better than not wearing one at all. I think the CDC position provides a false sense of security to the general public when really it is about shortages.
I am shocked here in the UK that healthcare workers don't all by now have full face masks.
I'm sure using a transparent plastic A4 paper wallet, bits of cardboard, a stapler and sticky tape, you could make one, which has to be better than fresh air. (Ok, just my dumb idea)
Lots of firms in UK trying to help make ventilators now, but not heard about basic PPE which is still reported on short supply by the medics.
Ergo, there is protection in wearing a mask or someting that covers our mouth and nose?
I live in Iceland.
Yesterday I had to go to the hospital for my monthly iv immunoglobuline.
To my surprise, I was the only one wearing a mask.
Neighter the 2 nurses nor the 4 other patients in the room had one. There was a good distance between us though but of course the nurse had to stay very near while treating me.
Afterwards I wrote my specialist as to this. His reply was that according to the hospital's regulations nurses don't wear masks as it does not grant proper protection when is gets moist, due to breathing.
I am still confused. What if I or the nurs had the virus but had not any symptoms yet??
I have been yelling at the US tv for months- They kept saying masks don't work, and practically trying to humiliate me for always wearing a mask in a crowded public place. Now the authorities are saying - oh yes you should wear a mask, even a scarf if you don't have a mask. OK! Atleast they could admit that they are the same officials and tv doctors who a month ago or more were making fun of people who wanted to wear masks!
1. Protect others around you if you are contagious and don't know it. This should be the main reason for promoting them, but culture and attitude seem to interfere in some places.
2. Possibly protect you, but the effectiveness is said to be low.
3. Help the wearer to not touch his face, especially his nose and mouth.
4. Help to practice social distancing. People give you more space when you are wearing one.
One obstacle which might influence what is said about them officially is the short supply. In most places they simply cannot be found...
Thank you for taking the time to provide some interesting and useful references. Given our increased risk of serious complications from this coronavirus, I feel the added protection from surgical or even home made masks could save many of us from what could be serious or even fatal infections. It's a pity that official advice is in some cases resulting in negative perceptions for those who are attempting to protect themselves and could also be protecting others.
Then there is this article by "Rossi A. Hassad, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and professor at Mercy College, in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He is a member of the American College of Epidemiology and a fellow and chartered statistician of Britain's Royal Statistical Society.
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...we now know that the virus is highly contagious and virulent with potential asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread.
Moreover, with the increasing threat posed by this virus, the public is more likely to comply with wearing a face mask than the other non-pharmaceutical interventions, particularly social distancing and staying at home. Wearing a face mask appropriately could prove a more cost-effective risk-reduction strategy, and in view of the critical shortage, a homemade mask made from common household materials could be an acceptable substitute."
I absolutely agree that, wearing will help with controlling the spread of virus.
Especially when in public places.
In some European countries it is compulsory to wear mask.
All this shortcomings we have with not enough of PPE shows how unprepared we are and some of the leaders didn’t listen to scientist and learned when SARS hit us.
How are you doing with your treatment Neil? I am rooting for you 🤗
According to a report today on the BBC News website the WHO have asked a panel of experts to review the WHO guidance about the wearing of masks, in the light of research done by MIT, Cambridge US that indicates that coughs and sneezes can spread the droplets much further than previously thought.
For what its worth I also agree with your personal opinion about the desirability of wearing masks.
Breaking news from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) "We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."
The Infectious Disease Society of America has released new guidelines on the use and reuse of personal protective equipment, most of which address the use of face protection, for health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients. In releasing the guidelines, the IDSA expert guideline panel acknowledged gaps in evidence to support the recommendations, which is why they will be updated regularly as new evidence emerges.
The guidelines contain ... eight recommendations for encounters with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients:
Some encouraging news that mask wearing may protect family members if someone needing to leave home becomes infected.
When at least one household member wore a face mask -- which could be the infected person or an uninfected family member -- prior to anyone showing symptoms, odds of within-family transmission were cut 79% (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.06-0.79), reported Peng Yang, PhD, of Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and colleagues.
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Open letter from cancer charities to the public regarding vulnerable members of our communities in UK
Mask question 
