Is the Coronavirus a Joke to some People?

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N95 stops 95% of particles 300 nanometers or larger
Average coronavirus size is 120 nanometers
It may stop the droplets, and prevent a widespread cloud of "goo", but it ain't gonna stop it from getting through. My guess is that it will follow physics like any other particle and be "wicked" to the outside of the mask the longer someone wears it and it gets more saturated with the moisture of respiration. Much like dipping the the of a paper towel in water and it soaking the whole towel. Small particles don't always obey newtonian physics though so who knows. Not trying to start arguments, just stating some facts. That being said, I still wear one but I've used them for years out in industry.

The fibers are charged as well. My understanding is that contributes in some fashion. My biggest goal is to just not ruin the things and keep them functional as long as possible.

When they first started exploring cloth face coverings I thought they were one step above horse apples. Maybe it’s being more confident that this stuff is truly droplet precautions, or maybe I’m just optimistic today seeing a couple outbreaks slow around me, but I feel better about them, and there are some meta-analyses to feed my bias.
 
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N95 stops 95% of particles 300 nanometers or larger
Average coronavirus size is 120 nanometers
It may stop the droplets, and prevent a widespread cloud of "goo", but it ain't gonna stop it from getting through.

If we are getting all sciency - comparing particle size and pore size are imperfect measures of filtration effectiveness. Considerations of pore geometry, particle geometry, particle density, charge of each, hydrophobicity of each, and a dozen other considerations have a hand in it. I can’t speak to this exact situation but there are many examples in the real world where a particle smaller than the pore size is effectively filtered.
 
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I think the biggest benefit of wearing a mask, for me, is that it's a constant reminder that I'm supposed to be careful. I'm much better about not touching my face, keeping my distance from others, and sanitizing surfaces when I'm wearing the mask. When I don't have one on it's easy to forget some of those things and act "normal".
 
If we are getting all sciency - comparing particle size and pore size are imperfect measures of filtration effectiveness. Considerations of pore geometry, particle geometry, particle density, charge of each, hydrophobicity of each, and a dozen other considerations have a hand in it. I can’t speak to this exact situation but there are many examples in the real world where a particle smaller than the pore size is effectively filtered.


Very true, but filters only filter so much, which is what I was eluding to. If you are going to wear masks, change them often. The longer you wear it, the less effective it becomes. We don't run our water filters indefinitely without backwashing or recharging, a face mask is no different. Except in the case of a facemask, it should be thrown out obviously.
 
Very true, but filters only filter so much, which is what I was eluding to. If you are going to wear masks, change them often. The longer you wear it, the less effective it becomes. We don't run our water filters indefinitely without backwashing or recharging, a face mask is no different. Except in the case of a facemask, it should be thrown out obviously.
Agreed - I was more responding to the very often cited particle size/pore size comparison as being somehow by itself proof of a point.
 
Little nugget on masks that I found very telling. We had an employee test positive for C19. He carpooled to work, about a 30 minute drive, with 3 other people. He was quarantined for 14 days starting 2 days prior to when he tested positive. The other 3 in the car were quarantined for 14 days starting the day he tested positive. The three of them had carpooled for 3 days from when he presumably picked up the virus. At no time did any of the 4 people wear a mask while in the car together. I asked the representative from the State Health department, if they had been wearing masks would it have made any difference in the need to quarantine the other three individuals, she said no. The use of a mask would make NO difference in the need to quarantine. The only exemption from this is for healthcare workers. If they are wearing a mask and come into close contact with a person that is positive they do not have to quarantine. When I asked why they received this exemption and no one else she said if they didn't do this for healthcare workers, all of them would be at home quarantined.

BTW, the positive person is doing fine. Felt bad for a couple of days. The other three all had no symptoms.
 
Little nugget on masks that I found very telling. We had an employee test positive for C19. He carpooled to work, about a 30 minute drive, with 3 other people. He was quarantined for 14 days starting 2 days prior to when he tested positive. The other 3 in the car were quarantined for 14 days starting the day he tested positive. The three of them had carpooled for 3 days from when he presumably picked up the virus. At no time did any of the 4 people wear a mask while in the car together. I asked the representative from the State Health department, if they had been wearing masks would it have made any difference in the need to quarantine the other three individuals, she said no. The use of a mask would make NO difference in the need to quarantine. The only exemption from this is for healthcare workers. If they are wearing a mask and come into close contact with a person that is positive they do not have to quarantine. When I asked why they received this exemption and no one else she said if they didn't do this for healthcare workers, all of them would be at home quarantined.

BTW, the positive person is doing fine. Felt bad for a couple of days. The other three all had no symptoms.

I may be missing it, but did any of the other 3 test positive?
 
If we had an epidemic of people peeing on other people in this world and the proposed solution was, "everyone should just wear pants", would you think that was a smart solution?
On balance, I’m pro pants.

I think if there was an epidemic of people peeing on each other, people would be more interested in staying home than under the current circumstances, where it is only a deadly disease.
 
Depends on the route. In town on the sidewalks definitely, it's just around my neck once I get into the woods.

There is a mask law in effect here, and I'm not going to let some Karen ruin my endorphin high.
Working for Denver, if anyone approaches us we have to wear them so have to have it around the neck all day while we climb trees and such. I use a buff but have cut it in half. Way less material on your neck when not wearing and nothing on your neck when not wearing.
 
I don't believe this image really is a fair comparison. A more fair comparison would be:

The Fart Test:
If we all run around naked and someone farts near you, you smell it right away.

If you are wearing pants and someone farts near you, you still smell it right away.

If the guy who farts near you is also wearing pants, you still smell it but maybe not right away.
 
I don't believe this image really is a fair comparison. A more fair comparison would be:

The Fart Test:
If we all run around naked and someone farts near you, you smell it right away.

If you are wearing pants and someone farts near you, you still smell it right away.

If the guy who farts near you is also wearing pants, you still smell it but maybe not right away.
In the case of any of the described scenarios, it is not likely to infect your lungs. The coronavirus is.
 
Working for Denver, if anyone approaches us we have to wear them so have to have it around the neck all day while we climb trees and such. I use a buff but have cut it in half. Way less material on your neck when not wearing and nothing on your neck when not wearing.

The buff has definitely be the way to go as far as exercise. I'd say in doors masks wearing is 100% here, outside maybe 75% with the 25% mainly excersising in early morning or late evening. That's people who just don't have one with them period, pretty much everyone is up and down game as they pass people game.

NH, VT, and upstate NY were very different. Very low mask rates comparatively. Urban v. Rural though so makes sense.
 
I don't believe this image really is a fair comparison. A more fair comparison would be:

The Fart Test:
If we all run around naked and someone farts near you, you smell it right away.

If you are wearing pants and someone farts near you, you still smell it right away.

If the guy who farts near you is also wearing pants, you still smell it but maybe not right away.

It's not the smell of the fart that you worry about, it's the microscopic fecal matter you don't want to leave their anus and land on you. So it is a good analogy, once you change smell for fecal matter.

Which is why I love hunt talk. We can have adult conversations about fecal matter and farts and nobody laughs.
 
I don't believe this image really is a fair comparison. A more fair comparison would be:

The Fart Test:
If we all run around naked and someone farts near you, you smell it right away.

If you are wearing pants and someone farts near you, you still smell it right away.

If the guy who farts near you is also wearing pants, you still smell it but maybe not right away.

But, you have to remember, you are wearing pants in case you're walking around farting and don't realize it. You're not wearing pants to protect you from the farts of the other guy.
 
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