Masks Help Curb COVID-19’s Spread But May Not be Enough at Close Distances

December 23, 2020

  • December 23, 2020 at 8:18 am
    Rosenblatt says:
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    Reposting for anti-maskers who likely didn’t read past the headline and still don’t believe masks work:

    “Every material tested dramatically reduced the number of droplets that were spread”
    “A mask definitely helps”
    “It’s not just masks that will help. It’s both the masks and distancing.”
    “Each of the masks captured the vast majority of droplets”
    “Wearing a mask will offer substantial, but not complete, protection”

    • December 23, 2020 at 12:50 pm
      Craig Winston Cornell says:
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      • December 23, 2020 at 1:14 pm
        Rosenblatt says:
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        “80-90% of Americans have been wearing masks since August.” Not Even Close. Also you wrote “a “test” in some laboratory that suggested some effectiveness” implying it’s not reliable.

        I think I’m gunna believe the guys here who tested how pervasive droplet spread was with measuring devices and the other lab guys who were virologists who did their “test” in a lab setting too since those findings can be replicated and verified rather than your made up theories.

        Hey, Craig.
        Quick question.

        Did you see they said “Every material tested dramatically reduced the number of droplets that were spread.”?

        Simple yes/no: Do you think wearing a cloth mask properly will even slightly reduce the number of droplets you spread?

        • December 23, 2020 at 1:40 pm
          Craig Winston Cornell says:
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          • December 23, 2020 at 1:48 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            “If masks work, why did the scientists in your “test” admit you can STILL get Covid 19 from someone wearing a mask.”

            REDUCE =/= ELIMINATE. You do know the difference, right?

            If bullet proof vests work, how come the majority of on-duty cops still end up dying by gunshot while wearing one?

          • December 23, 2020 at 2:08 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            A: Because vests REDUCE the likelihood of something happening rather than ELIMINATING it.

            Q: If condoms work, how come people still get pregnant wearing one? REDUCE, not ELIMINATE

            Q: If the flu vaccine works and I got one, how come I still got the flu this year? It REDUCES your chance of getting it, it doesn’t ELIMINATE it.

            Do you understand the difference in reducing something versus eliminating it yet, or do you need more real-world examples?

          • December 23, 2020 at 2:20 pm
            Reason says:
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            The fact that this virus is raging through our country despite a large chunk of the population working from home, social distancing, wearing masks, and taking other precautions does not mean that we shouldn’t have done any of it and that none of it works. If you really think that, Craig, you are a bigger fool than any of us realized.

          • December 23, 2020 at 5:26 pm
            Craig Winston Cornell says:
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      • December 28, 2020 at 9:40 am
        stush says:
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        I really don’t think that bandying statistics does anything except make folks like you think you have a handle on this. I am sure you know better and again, after all these years, I’d like to know who supports your endeavors? You don’t post all this crap for years just out of the goodness of your heart, do you? I think you are a fake and someone is paying you to sell bull$hit just to cause confusion. I’ve ignore you for years for these reasons and will now continue to do so

        • December 28, 2020 at 9:50 am
          Rosenblatt says:
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          Think about it this way, Stush:

          Craig argued for months that C19 numbers were constantly inflated due to hospitals over-reporting solely to get paid more.

          Now Craig is arguing that C19 numbers are actually underreported because it makes his “masks are only .0111% effective” comment seem logical.

          So which is it Craig….

          Were you wrong for the last few months that C19 stats are too high because hospitals did it for money, or are the stats too low because you think that proves your argument that masks aren’t really effective?

          You can’t honestly argue it’s both over-reported and under-reported at the same time. It’s either one or the other. So which is it?

          Are C19 infections higher than the numbers we’re seeing now or are the C19 infections lower because the hospitals kept over-reporting them to get paid?

          • December 28, 2020 at 12:08 pm
            Craig Winston Cornell says:
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            I don’t live in a cartoon world. We have learned a LOT about Covid 19 since March.

            Well, at least I have. You seem to have some catching up to do.

            (And I NEVER argued that the numbers were inflated so that hospitals could get paid more. Apologize for lying about me again.)

          • December 28, 2020 at 12:13 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            Still waiting for your apology for saying 3 times that i was in favor of pedophilia and had no compassion for female USA gymnasts. You apologize to me for that nasty comment from months ago and I’ll apologize to you now. Seems like a fair trade to me: 1 apology for 1 apology.

          • December 28, 2020 at 1:09 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
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            I have no idea what you are talking about. Are you making stuff up again?

        • December 28, 2020 at 12:10 pm
          Craig Winston Cornell says:
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          Now THAT is some wierd, paranoid gibberish! (And please go back to ignoring me. It will make you appear to be more sane.)

          • December 28, 2020 at 12:50 pm
            Common Sense says:
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            70% of all new cases of Covid are from people who wear masks all the time.

          • December 28, 2020 at 1:24 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            People can make up statistics to prove anything, Kent. 40% of people know that.

          • December 29, 2020 at 1:38 pm
            Interested says:
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            How to lie with Statistics – a book that some elitists love. its out there. if masks protected us, civilization would have figured it out many years ago and our grandmothers would have told us to wear a face covering. There is a reason surgeons took their masks off after surgery. Fresh air is important to life. We have all transferred viruses amongst back and forth to each other since life.
            Our grandmothers told us to say home when sick, wash your hands. And in life, when we came across someone who was sick, we kept our distance. The mask is a new thing for this novel virus. This virus is the excuse for everything new that is being implemented. Step by step, freedom fades. The mask is the first big step. Governments have always failed in history because they always want more control and the same goes here. Eventually people have always overthrown their governments.

            I wear it just because I have to for social reasons – not worth the trouble – but I definitely limit my mask wearing. What the studies don’t talk about is the detrimental effects of wearing a face covering. Pros and Cons. Mainstream news these days seems to be one sided. I wonder why that is.

          • December 29, 2020 at 1:55 pm
            UW says:
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            CommonSense, that figure if misleading. Understandable to get duped, but I get you still probably feel like a real fool. Thankfully I’m sooo sure you will be changing your media consumption habits to keep yourself from being intentionally misinformed and looking so foolish in the future.

            https://reuters.com/ article/idUSKBN2741WF

      • December 29, 2020 at 12:48 pm
        UW says:
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        The fake statistician, making comically stupid mathematical analysis again I’m favor of no masks, what a shock. The evidence overwhelmingly shows masks are somewhat effective, and even when they let some through, it’s a smaller viral load leading to fewer, if any effects. For the love of God, log off dude. You’re wasting your life re-posting propaganda and nonsense stats here 20 hours a day for years on end.

  • December 23, 2020 at 5:13 pm
    D says:
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    Can’t believe people feel they can’t wear a mask in public settings. It’s not going to be forever. The more we do it now, the less we will have to do this in the future. Think of it this way: What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done or had to endure in your life up to now? How does whatever that is compare to wearing a mask in public? If the mask is the hardest thing, then consider yourself lucky and wear the damn thing. It’s not going to be forever.

    • December 28, 2020 at 10:50 am
      Captain Planet says:
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      Exactly, D! These are the same people who have no problem with no shirt, no shoes, no service. Who have no issues with “no smoking” signs at establishments. They will wash their hands after going to the restroom and would never go into a public restroom without shoes. It’s ridiculous they won’t wear a mask. Like it’s a political statement or something. Covidiots!

  • December 28, 2020 at 10:38 am
    Ali1 says:
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    Bear in mind that the test measures effectiveness of the mask in blocking droplets when the wearer sneezes or coughs. I would imagine most people still cough or sneeze into their elbow, even when wearing a mask, and this should render the mask much more effective at containing droplets than the test results suggest.

    Mask effectiveness is also presumably much higher than the test indicates when worn throughout the course of routine interactions with others (i.e, normal conversation, not sneezing or coughing).

  • December 28, 2020 at 12:07 pm
    Craig Winston Cornell says:
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    If masks don’t stop the spread of Covid 19 at close distances, as the article says, what good are they?

    • December 28, 2020 at 12:17 pm
      Rosenblatt says:
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      “If masks don’t stop the spread of Covid 19” Sigh … here we go again.

      Nobody is saying masks ELMINATE the risk of spreading C19.
      We’re saying masks REDUCE the spread of C19 droplets.

      Nobody is saying condoms ELIMINATE the risk of getting pregnant
      We’re saying they REDUCE the chance of it.

      Nobody is saying the flu vaccine ELIMINATES the risk of getting the flu.
      We’re saying it REDUCES the risk of getting it.

      I hope you finally understand the difference between ELIMINATING RISK and MITIGATING RISK. This knowledge will help you in your professional career working in this industry.

      • December 28, 2020 at 1:08 pm
        Craig Cornell says:
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        Reduce by how much? One tenth of one percent? You haven’t been able to prove anything else.

        • December 28, 2020 at 1:20 pm
          Rosenblatt says:
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          Craig. I do not agree with your 1/10th of 1% number AT ALL.

          You made up your 0.001 “effectiveness” rate by looking a study whose limitations clearly said “you can’t use this study of % of dialysis patients w/ C19 to extrapolate how many total people in the USA have gotten C19”, but you did so anyway.

          Counter study w/ no such extrapolation issues: “For each week of the outbreak without masks, a 38.5% increase in per-capita mortality occurred. Mortality decreased by 4.6% for every week the country wore masks.” htt p://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/id/Pages/COVID-19/facecoverings.aspx

          But hey. Let’s take your crazy low 0.001 rate at face value.

          328,200,000 * 0.001 = 328,200 total cases avoided w/ mask use
          328,200 * 1% = 3,000 deaths avoided w/ mask use

          I know we’re numb to the number, but by your logic, putting something over your mouth and nose while in public could save 3,000 lives.

          If we can stop one 9-11’s worth of deaths simply by putting something over your mouth and nose for the next few months, why wouldn’t you?

          • December 28, 2020 at 2:15 pm
            Craig Winston Cornell says:
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            Because, deep thinker, MANY people (most) think masks are more effective than they really are.

            This deludes people into ignoring what REALLY works: social distancing.

            And so now tell me how many people have died because people got too close when using a mask, when they could have been saved had that same person socially distanced instead?

            (And that ignores the fact that most people don’t wear the mask effectively at all, in an effort to make their own breathing easier.)

            My Point: truth saves lives.

            And your NEW study ignores the obvious: mask-wearing mandates were almost always accompanied by social distancing recommendations. And social distancing is what works.

            And as I said earlier, two studies (one by Pew) indicated that 80-905 of Americans were wearing masks in public since August. And yet we STILL had a massive falls spike. And no one can explain why masks didn’t work.

          • December 28, 2020 at 2:41 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            I know you don’t listen to others, but maybe listen to yourself.

            Craig: “80-905 of Americans were wearing masks in public…and no one can explain why masks didn’t work.”

            Also Craig: “most people don’t wear the mask effectively at all”

            According to you and you alone, the reason masks didn’t work well is because most people didn’t wear them properly. DUH

          • December 28, 2020 at 2:50 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            To the “you don’t listen to others” comment: You said “And your NEW study ignores the obvious…..” PROVING you didn’t bother to click the link. It was a link to SIXTEEN STUDIES not just one “new” study. I’m sure you didn’t read ANY, let alone all of them, to actually know if even ONE factored social distancing into their findings (hint: they did).

      • December 29, 2020 at 12:50 pm
        UW says:
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        It’s pretty disgusting the people you have to explain this to work in the insurance industry which is supposed to be about measuring and mitigating risk. Disqualifying, IMO. The industry desperately needs to find a way to move beyond allowing people like this to bring it down.

        • December 29, 2020 at 1:55 pm
          Rosenblatt says:
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          Wouldn’t get to me if the knowledge was retained the first two times it was explained to an insurance professional, but by the 3rd time if you’re not understanding risk MITIGATION is different than risk ELIMINATION, what’s the use in explaining it a fourth time? Just glad I don’t have to teach it to him in a professional capacity

          Someone drove 10mph in the snow but still lost control? Well, slow speed didn’t eliminate their risk, so let’s deny their claim.

          That’s not how insurance works.

          • December 30, 2020 at 2:17 pm
            UW says:
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            Yes, 100%.

    • December 28, 2020 at 12:53 pm
      Ali1 says:
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      The study was conducted based on sneezing and coughing with a mask on, presumably without attempting to otherwise cover the cough (i.e., by coughing into an elbow). Some of the high velocity splatter makes it through the masks if people cough or sneeze when they are in close proximity to each other.

      It did not measure the protection the mask affords in a normal conversation, which is where most of us spend our time. I don’t know anyone who does not still shield their coughing/sneezing when wearing a mask. If someone did that in my presence, we wouldn’t be speaking in close proximity again, with or without a mask.

  • December 29, 2020 at 9:35 am
    Rosenblatt says:
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    Hey Craig – do you agree with yourself that masks didn’t do as good a job of reducing the spread of C19 as they could have, even though most people wore masks, because most people didn’t wear them properly?

    • December 30, 2020 at 1:24 pm
      Craig Cornell says:
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      I never said that. I said 2 things: masks worn properly still transmit the disease, as THIS ARTICLE points out.
      In addition, many people don’t wear masks properly.



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