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Why Wearing a Face Mask Is Encouraged in Asia, but Shunned in the U.S.

anatta

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On the one hand is the view shared by Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in Vanderbilt University’s Division of Infectious Diseases, who says that medical masks commonly worn by members of the public do not fit snugly around the nose, cheeks and chin.
~~
David Hui, a respiratory medicine expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who studied the 2002 to 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) extensively, says it’s “common sense” that wearing a mask would protect against infectious diseases like COVID-19.

“If you are standing in front of someone who is sick, the mask will give some protection,” Hui says. “The mask provides a barrier from respiratory droplets, which is predominantly how the virus spreads.”

He also says that the role of a face mask may be especially important in the epidemic due to the nature of the virus. Patients with COVID-19 often have mild or even no symptoms, and some researchers believe it can also be transmitted when patients are asymptomatic
Why Face Masks Are Encouraged in Asia, but Shunned in the U.S. | Time
 
seems to me with the asymptomatic carriers wearing a mask is a good idea
 
Trump said he gathered the greatest pile of masks ever assembled. More masks than anyone imagined he could get. Great masks. Perfect masks. Masky masks.

But then Pence took the podium and said to ignore what the President said about masks.

So I guess we don't know what's going on with that.
 
On the one hand is the view shared by Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in Vanderbilt University’s Division of Infectious Diseases, who says that medical masks commonly worn by members of the public do not fit snugly around the nose, cheeks and chin.
~~
David Hui, a respiratory medicine expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who studied the 2002 to 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) extensively, says it’s “common sense” that wearing a mask would protect against infectious diseases like COVID-19.

“If you are standing in front of someone who is sick, the mask will give some protection,” Hui says. “The mask provides a barrier from respiratory droplets, which is predominantly how the virus spreads.”

He also says that the role of a face mask may be especially important in the epidemic due to the nature of the virus. Patients with COVID-19 often have mild or even no symptoms, and some researchers believe it can also be transmitted when patients are asymptomatic
Why Face Masks Are Encouraged in Asia, but Shunned in the U.S. | Time

Many U.S. doctors and experts claim they are only helpful for those who are coughing and sneezing, those already sick, and it keeps their germs at bay.
 
I would guess the severe particulate air pollution has a lot t do with the popularity in Asia. Here, they are only semi-popular in pollen season.
 
I would guess the severe particulate air pollution has a lot t do with the popularity in Asia. Here, they are only semi-popular in pollen season.
in some places like Beijing -yes. But this is everywhere including non metro areas.

The science is correct that if asymptomatic individuals are carriers, then we are all potential carriers without symptoms
 
I've seen experts saying that for civilians, wearing a mask is next to useless.
 
On the one hand is the view shared by Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in Vanderbilt University’s Division of Infectious Diseases, who says that medical masks commonly worn by members of the public do not fit snugly around the nose, cheeks and chin.
~~
David Hui, a respiratory medicine expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who studied the 2002 to 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) extensively, says it’s “common sense” that wearing a mask would protect against infectious diseases like COVID-19.

“If you are standing in front of someone who is sick, the mask will give some protection,” Hui says. “The mask provides a barrier from respiratory droplets, which is predominantly how the virus spreads.”

He also says that the role of a face mask may be especially important in the epidemic due to the nature of the virus. Patients with COVID-19 often have mild or even no symptoms, and some researchers believe it can also be transmitted when patients are asymptomatic
Why Face Masks Are Encouraged in Asia, but Shunned in the U.S. | Time

The last sentence gives the reason why - they aren't effective in controlling the spread, and the practice is taking masks from where they are needed.


A tweet from Surgeon General Jerome Adams sums up the argument: “Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!”
 
I think a mask would make sense in public in today's situation. If the virus is spread by carriers exhaling the virus, it only makes sense to keep the virus out of the air I'm breathing if he is upwind of me.

If I don't have the virus and the most common form of passing the virus is through the air we breathe, I would like to be protected. I have gone out a few times for brief periods, and am starting to feel self-conscious about being near others, especially strangers.
 
On the one hand is the view shared by Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in Vanderbilt University’s Division of Infectious Diseases, who says that medical masks commonly worn by members of the public do not fit snugly around the nose, cheeks and chin.
~~
David Hui, a respiratory medicine expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who studied the 2002 to 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) extensively, says it’s “common sense” that wearing a mask would protect against infectious diseases like COVID-19.

“If you are standing in front of someone who is sick, the mask will give some protection,” Hui says. “The mask provides a barrier from respiratory droplets, which is predominantly how the virus spreads.”

He also says that the role of a face mask may be especially important in the epidemic due to the nature of the virus. Patients with COVID-19 often have mild or even no symptoms, and some researchers believe it can also be transmitted when patients are asymptomatic
Why Face Masks Are Encouraged in Asia, but Shunned in the U.S. | Time

The standard disposable paper face mask has a useful lifespan of about 5 minutes. After that time it becomes a nice warm moist place for "nasties" to grow (including "nasties" that arrive at the mask from someone else's exhalations).

However, they will HELP REDUCE the chance of whatever YOU HAVE of being spread to other people for much longer.
 
I've seen experts saying that for civilians, wearing a mask is next to useless.

The masks are much more effective at blocking OUTGOING "nasties" than they are at blocking INCOMING "nasties".

The whole debate over the masks reminds me of a study that was done (in Sweden if I recall correctly) over the effectiveness of "alcohol swabs" when giving injections. The study involved four comparable hospitals and in "Hospital A" they completely stopped using the swabs, in "Hospital B" they substituted plain saline swabs, in "Hospital C" they substituted washing with soap and water, and in "Hospital D" they carried on as usual. The results of the study showed NO DIFFERENCE between the infection rates of "Hospital A", "Hospital B" and "Hospital D" BUT a sharp drop in infection rates in "Hospital C".
 
I have been fortunate enough to to travel. For over twenty years, I have seen Asian tourists in multiple countries wearing surgical masks. Not all of them but a fair amount. Not certain what conclusion to draw from this observation.

Interesting article from 2014:

A quick history of why Asians wear surgical masks in public — Quartz

I live in Berkeley, CA, and noticed and wondered before corona, some years ago, that many Asians, esp. females, wore masks, even tho our air quality is good. The article sort of answers my question.
 
The masks are much more effective at blocking OUTGOING "nasties" than they are at blocking INCOMING "nasties".

The whole debate over the masks reminds me of a study that was done (in Sweden if I recall correctly) over the effectiveness of "alcohol swabs" when giving injections. The study involved four comparable hospitals and in "Hospital A" they completely stopped using the swabs, in "Hospital B" they substituted plain saline swabs, in "Hospital C" they substituted washing with soap and water, and in "Hospital D" they carried on as usual. The results of the study showed NO DIFFERENCE between the infection rates of "Hospital A", "Hospital B" and "Hospital D" BUT a sharp drop in infection rates in "Hospital C".

I'm new here and was just browsing when I saw your post. I have injections I must take daily so I wanted to say thank you for providing some interesting information.
 
They're not being shunned. We simply don't have any, so propaganda is being spun to tell us they're ineffective.
 
I live in Berkeley, CA, and noticed and wondered before corona, some years ago, that many Asians, esp. females, wore masks, even tho our air quality is good. The article sort of answers my question.

So it might be interpreted that those wearing masks are trying to protect others in case the one wearing it is contagious.
 
So it might be interpreted that those wearing masks are trying to protect others in case the one wearing it is contagious.

Of course, I just didn’t know why Asians were using masks til I read the article.

P
 
I'm new here and was just browsing when I saw your post. I have injections I must take daily so I wanted to say thank you for providing some interesting information.

The "active ingredient" in an "alcohol swab" is (would you believe) "alcohol" and it takes around 10 minutes of continuous exposure to alcohol to achieve significant anti-bacterial effect.

The main benefit of the "alcohol swab" is the MECHANICAL CLEANING of the injection site.

DO NOT cease the cleansing of the injection site, but you might want to consider the cost/effectiveness of using clean soap, clean water, and a clean cloth. (If I were making a recommendation, I go for using disposable 2x2s (rather than a cloth) since they are incredibly cheap (just keep them in a sealed, air tight, container). PLEASE DO NOT confuse my personal opinion for medical opinion from a state-licensed medical practitioner.
 
They're not being shunned. We simply don't have any, so propaganda is being spun to tell us they're ineffective.

Which is what those left-wing, socialist, liberal, pinko, commies who wrote "Respiratory Infection Control: Respirators Versus Surgical Masks", "Effectiveness of facemasks to reduce exposure hazards for airborne infections among general populations", "N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks)" and "The effectiveness of surgical face masks: what the literature shows" are doing.

Right?
 
I have been fortunate enough to to travel. For over twenty years, I have seen Asian tourists in multiple countries wearing surgical masks. Not all of them but a fair amount. Not certain what conclusion to draw from this observation.

Interesting article from 2014:

A quick history of why Asians wear surgical masks in public — Quartz

Because their air quality sucks in the best of times and who knows what bugs are going to come out of their open air markets where anything that bleeds is on the menu and usually slaughtered on scene on a table of filth. Coronavirus Origins: Wet Markets Should Be Eliminated | National Review
 
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