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I replied to a thread several months ago in response to someone else that covered the effectiveness of mask usage which I constantly link to when conversing with anti-maskers, but I am creating a new thread that is based off of this response so I am able to update it over time.
USF Data Scientist @jeremyphoward who one would think knows just a little bit about reading data:
https://usfca.edu/news/masks4all
His website: https://masks4all.co
https://usfca.edu/news/masks4all
His website: https://masks4all.co
Here is a study showing the efficacy of masks with particle sizes:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252
Obviously studies like this are in "controlled conditions" and may or may not reflect real world usage, but it gives you an idea of their capability.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252
Obviously studies like this are in "controlled conditions" and may or may not reflect real world usage, but it gives you an idea of their capability.
Here is a study that uses lasers to test expelled droplets when using masks: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/36/eabd3083.full
Here is a systematic review and meta-analysis that covers 172 related studies:
https://thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext
https://thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext
Here is a 198 country analysis showing the effects of early mask usage:
https://news.vcu.edu/article/Early_face_mask_policies_curbed_COVID19s_spread_according_to
You just have to note how well all the countries who wear masks culturally have done.
Take this chart below:
https://news.vcu.edu/article/Early_face_mask_policies_curbed_COVID19s_spread_according_to
You just have to note how well all the countries who wear masks culturally have done.
Take this chart below:
As you can see all the countries that wear masks under normal situations have done very well (Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia) compared to some example countries near the top that don't.
You may point out "Singapore" is quite high, it is unclear how often they wear them under "normal" circumstances, I did find some mention of them, but according to the study below, even during Covid only 66% admit to wearing them, so this could explain why they appear so high.
https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/thailand-scores-highest-for-mask-wearing-in-survey-of-asean-nations
I didn't include Indonesia or The Philippines, because as their mask usage is quite high now, I couldn't find evidence of them wearing them under normal circumstances.
Additionally, as you can see in the charts Malaysia was doing very very well...
I didn't include Indonesia or The Philippines, because as their mask usage is quite high now, I couldn't find evidence of them wearing them under normal circumstances.
Additionally, as you can see in the charts Malaysia was doing very very well...
...up until September, but it is unclear why the sudden surge, it does match many other countries surges, but it seems relatively higher than the other Asian countries in the charts.
Other countries can vary in how well they do, as you can see in the chart I have included...
Other countries can vary in how well they do, as you can see in the chart I have included...
...some of Sweden's Nordic neighbors, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Denmark.
You may point out these have done very well as well without wearing masks under normal circumstances, that's true, there are also many that have done very badly as shown in the same chart, but the...
You may point out these have done very well as well without wearing masks under normal circumstances, that's true, there are also many that have done very badly as shown in the same chart, but the...
...point of the chart was to show how ALL the countries that DO wear masks under normal circumstances (and hence were EARLY mask wearers) have done.
Here is a matching chart on the deaths:
Here is a matching chart on the deaths:
Here's a couple more studies on this particular topic: https://globalnews.ca/news/7075024/mask-wearing-fewer-coronavirus-deaths/
How India toppled their growing problem: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-was-consuming-india-until-nearly-everyone-started-wearing-masks-11609329603
Here is a study on particle spread:
https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.03444
If you're wondering why some countries/regions still struggle to bring down infection rate even when masking up - it's a LOT harder to get the R0 < 1 once you already have a large outbreak, it may vary depending on...
https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.03444
If you're wondering why some countries/regions still struggle to bring down infection rate even when masking up - it's a LOT harder to get the R0 < 1 once you already have a large outbreak, it may vary depending on...
... how much of the community is infected and probably also population density, but studies have shown you need at least 80% to help bring the figures down:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/05/masks-covid-19-infections-would-plummet-new-study-says
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/dont-wear-mask-yourself/610336/
But unfortunately many people don't wear their masks correctly as...
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/05/masks-covid-19-infections-would-plummet-new-study-says
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/dont-wear-mask-yourself/610336/
But unfortunately many people don't wear their masks correctly as...
...well (under the nose, on the chin, hanging off their ear) and seeing as masks are primarily about source control (protecting others around you) some people can also get a false sense of security in them.
One real world scenario seen "remarkable progress" when 95% of people...
One real world scenario seen "remarkable progress" when 95% of people...
...wore masks in Yakima:
https://komonews.com/news/coronavirus/officials-point-to-remarkable-progress-in-mask-compliance-for-covid-19-turnaround-in-yak
Some interesting real world scenarios:
https://straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/covid-19-outbreak-in-south-korea-starbucks-cafe-spared-employees-who-wore-masks
https://businessinsider.com.au/two-missouri-hairstylists-with-coronavirus-saw-140-clients-none-infected-2020-6
The last several I will show include an RCT plus a few newer ones I have found, this one from the University of Edinburgh showing...
https://komonews.com/news/coronavirus/officials-point-to-remarkable-progress-in-mask-compliance-for-covid-19-turnaround-in-yak
Some interesting real world scenarios:
https://straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/covid-19-outbreak-in-south-korea-starbucks-cafe-spared-employees-who-wore-masks
https://businessinsider.com.au/two-missouri-hairstylists-with-coronavirus-saw-140-clients-none-infected-2020-6
The last several I will show include an RCT plus a few newer ones I have found, this one from the University of Edinburgh showing...
...that they can stop up to 99.9% of the larger more dangerous droplets:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/covid-19-response/latest-news/masks-block-spread-of-covid-linked-droplets
https://www.ed.ac.uk/covid-19-response/latest-news/masks-block-spread-of-covid-linked-droplets
RCT:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/
So, pretty much as expected. Recommended in the community, respirators were protective for HCW's, cloth and medical masks NOT protective for the HCW (which is expected since they are CONTINUOUSLY around sick people) but were effective as a...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191274/
So, pretty much as expected. Recommended in the community, respirators were protective for HCW's, cloth and medical masks NOT protective for the HCW (which is expected since they are CONTINUOUSLY around sick people) but were effective as a...
...means for source control.
Large evidence review by @jeremyphoward et al.
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118
Lastly, a very interesting one where scientists use actual Sars-Cov-2 particles:
https://msphere.asm.org/content/msph/5/5/e00637-20.full.pdf
Bottom line is, masks are NOT 100% effective but help REDUCE...
Large evidence review by @jeremyphoward et al.
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118
Lastly, a very interesting one where scientists use actual Sars-Cov-2 particles:
https://msphere.asm.org/content/msph/5/5/e00637-20.full.pdf
Bottom line is, masks are NOT 100% effective but help REDUCE...
...the spread, not STOP it, so it's best you always practice social distancing and not get a false sense of security wearing them - research what masks you choose to wear and try and wear ones that offer you some level of protection as...
...well (I believe well constructed cotton masks helps) and avoid ones that are largely ineffective such as bandannas or fleece based masks (one study showed fleece may be worse than nothing at all!).
Stay safe and please consider wearing a mask to protect those around you.
Stay safe and please consider wearing a mask to protect those around you.
