NEW PERSPECTIVE PIECE: masks can be leaky but even when they don't catch all the virus, it appears that they catch enough of it to only cause mild disease. Can less viral load result in less severe disease? That's been seen for others pathogens. How about for SARS-CoV-2?...

2) when mask partitions were used between hamster cages, they didn't stop SARS-CoV-2 completely but the resulting disease was mild. And in human populations with wide-spread masking we're seeing more and more asymptomatic and mild infections...

3)on Diamond Princess only ~20% of infected was asymptomatic but on another ship where all passengers were issued masks the rate was ~80%. Even more evidence: Indiana pediatric unit (where patients & staff were masked) staff that contracted the virus didn't develop symptoms...

4) in outbreak in seafood plant in OR where all workers were issued masks, of all infections, 95% were asymptomatic. Same w/chicken plant in AR: 95% asymptomatic.

TY Dr. @MonicaGandhi9 et. al. for the valuable piece which has huge policy implications. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-020-06067-8