Neck gaiter article (Read 185 times)

The website you linked says wearing a mask spreads COVID 19 more than it protects against it.

The researchers explain how these masks may actually spread more of the virus than not wearing one at all. “We noticed that speaking through some masks (particularly the neck fleece) seemed to disperse the largest droplets into a multitude of smaller droplets ... which explains the apparent increase in droplet count relative to no mask in that case,” they write. These small droplets could prove extremely dangerous in terms of transmission. “Considering that smaller particles are airborne longer than large droplets (larger droplets sink faster), the use of such a mask might be counterproductive,” they add.

If it isn't an N95 mask or a properly fitted face covering it's doing nothing to stop the spread of COVID 19 and the evidence is how COVID 19 hasn't stopped or slowed down since mask mandates were put in place. I really wish people would get over the masks. COVID 19 is here until we have a vaccine and after that it's just going to be a flu or fever.

Better testing, Adalja adds, would potentially lessen the need for masks. But until then, they’re vitally important to stopping the pandemic. 

The same article that says wearing the mask causes the spread to increase worse than not wearing one says it's vitally important to stop the pandemic. Let that sink in.

It does say bandannas increase the risk, which is fascinating. Will stay away from those folks.

I was going to share this same info when I got home today!

The very thing I've been wearing for running and even going into stores (lycra neck gaiter) actually INCREASES the amount of particles escaping into the air over wearing nothing at all!

The layman's physics: It's like a garden hose nozzle sprinkler setting, water goes further when condensed into smaller streams rather than just a hose with nothing on it.

This pic is not of how they ranked, sadly

https://nationalpost.com/health/fleece-neck-gaiters-and-bandanas-are-lease-effective-at-stopping-covid-19-droplets-study-finds

OH WAIT!

Are some of you STILL thinking that a mask is supposed to protect YOU?!

It's actually to protect others FROM you.

The whole purpose of public mask wearing is to keep potentially virus-laden particles coming out of your nose and mouth from spreading BEYOND your mask, not to keep other's particles OUT!

(medical professionals and others aside, who also need to keep particles OUT as well as IN)

And since your mask is full of whatever you're exhaling, it should be changed and/or washed daily. Note to bachelors; it is NOT ok to wear your underwear several days in a row, for this same reason.

The website you linked says wearing a mask spreads COVID 19 more than it protects against it.

 

The researchers explain how these masks may actually spread more of the virus than not wearing one at all. “We noticed that speaking through some masks (particularly the neck fleece) seemed to disperse the largest droplets into a multitude of smaller droplets ... which explains the apparent increase in droplet count relative to no mask in that case,” they write. These small droplets could prove extremely dangerous in terms of transmission. “Considering that smaller particles are airborne longer than large droplets (larger droplets sink faster), the use of such a mask might be counterproductive,” they add.

 

If it isn't an N95 mask or a properly fitted face covering it's doing nothing to stop the spread of COVID 19 and the evidence is how COVID 19 hasn't stopped or slowed down since mask mandates were put in place. I really wish people would get over the masks. COVID 19 is here until we have a vaccine and after that it's just going to be a flu or fever.

 

Better testing, Adalja adds, would potentially lessen the need for masks. But until then, they’re vitally important to stopping the pandemic. 

 

The same article that says wearing the mask causes the spread to increase worse than not wearing one says it's vitally important to stop the pandemic. Let that sink in.

Let this sink in: you missed a bit of context there, friend:

"The most secure mask, an N95, led to a droplet transmission of below 0.1 percent. But handmade cotton and polypropylene masks, some of which were made from apron material, also proved effective, with droplet transmission ranging from 0.1 percent to 0.4 percent."

Kind of important. You cherry picked your quote.

In fact, when pondering the numbers from the study, only a small subset of these masks are "worse than not wearing one". If you are going to be the person waving the TOS at people to go by literal words, then you should try to be consistent.

Thanks Bill for posting both picture and graph. I only read the OP URL and that didn't include the graph. Don't know if the bandanna or gaiter were used single ply or doubled over. Do you have access to original paper? And do they state?  If not stated I would assume that single layer of fabric was used. Also will point out, as the graph clearly states, that they measured the number of droplets and not the volume/amount of actual material being expelled.  It is clearly impossible for there to be more mucous, saliva expelled -- the mask isn't generating infectious material.  It is actually dividing larger droplets into smaller droplets.  From the OP's article, the quoted author only says that the gaiter "may" be more infectious.  This is an hypothesis based on the idea that smaller droplets stay suspended longer and are more likely to make it through protective masks (other people's). IIRC, someone else says it will be more infectious, but that hasn't been proven (not the point of this experiment).

Outside this "may" not be true. With reasonable air movement, e.g. wind/breeze, smaller droplets are more easily dispersed and so the viral load can be dispersed more quickly. It is the Viral load that makes the difference!  And masks reduce the viral load both by the infected person and to a lesser extent the non-infected person. If you reduce the viral load below your threshold for infection, you won't get it.  So, wearing masks lowers the R-nought value, which slows the rate of infection. And there have already been studies that show that masks are effective in slowing the rate of transmission.

So outside you likely don't need to wear anything at all then.

If you are going to be the person waving the TOS at people to go by literal words, then you should try to be consistent.

I'll be as consistent as the TOS enforcement if it appeases you.