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Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by treparist on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:04PM (#22613214)
Surgical and homemade masks are much better than nothing.

/Thats basically a misinformation. They are completely useless, and if you dont change them each 40-50 minutes - bring you more damage then good

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by scottlocklin on Wednesday March 18, 2020 @12:35AM (#22613660)
People were required by law to wear (mostly homemade; the main kind available) masks during the Spanish Flu. The link below gives an account of someone being shot by a public health officer for refusing to wear one. People took it very seriously back then as a way of preventing the spread, and it's not a bad idea for now.

https://blog.genealogybank.com/the-history-of-the-great-1918...

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by nl on Wednesday March 18, 2020 @02:15AM (#22614100)
Homemade masks can be quite effective: http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1206.051468
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by 1996 on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:11PM (#22613251)
> Thats basically a misinformation. They are completely useless, and if you dont change them each 40-50 minutes - bring you more damage then good

Evidence required.

If mist forms on my glasses from breathing, I assume the mask must be doing something.

I read a comment the other day on how many efforts are impeded by the "quest for perfection"

I know such homemade masks are not 100% proof. But even if they only work to reduce 10% of the risks if everybody wore them, than can be the difference between a R0 of 1.1 and 1.0 - and gives great results overall.

Don't just think about yourself. We are young and at no real risk of dying (0.1%, whatever). But we may cause the death of other people by simply contaminating more people.

Small actions are better than doing nothing when facing exponential growth

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by stubish on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:31PM (#22613356)
Even the N95 are not 100% proof, even if used correctly. Any barrier helps, and the claim that mask use promotes false confidence is highly dubious.
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by ardit33 on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:45PM (#22613422)
So, are condoms, they fail, can be worn improperly, etc... yet they are recommend over and over for safety reason....

Same with masks, they are not perfect, they could be miss-handled, yet they provide some degree of safety and are better than nothing.... otherwise why would health officials wear them at all?

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by mkl on Wednesday March 18, 2020 @09:01AM (#22616121)
> If mist forms on my glasses from breathing, I assume the mask must be doing something.

That just means the mask doesn't fit well, and air is going in and out the top instead of through.

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by gruez on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:25PM (#22613323)
>I know such homemade masks are not 100% proof. But even if they only work to reduce 10% of the risks if everybody wore them, than can be the difference between a R0 of 1.1 and 1.0 - and gives great results overall.

There's a psychological component to this. If a mask reduces the chance of infection (from daily contact) from 60% (random number) to 54%, I'm not going to bother, even though in aggregate it might make a huge difference. That's just me though.

Also, I suspect half-measures like this are only effective in the early stages of the outbreak. For instance, if the viral load required for infection is 10 units (completely arbitrary), and your daily exposure is between 5 and 15, using a home-made mask that filters out 50% of viruses makes sense. However, if your daily exposure is 100 (presumably because everyone around you is infected), that 50% reduction isn't going to help you.

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by stubish on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:42PM (#22613411)
Your math assumes you are the only person using masks and have daily exposure.

It breaks down when people are in isolation, which many of us now are. You are not out daily, so a 50% reduction is a 50% reduction, and with luck you never accumulate enough to get sick.

If everyone wore masks, then every ones daily exposure would drop dramatically. You get 50% less intake, and infected people are emitting much less too. You have pretty much eliminated air born transmission, and can now focus on hands and eyes.

[dead]
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by dang on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:08PM (#22613238)
Don't attack others like this on HN. If someone is wrong, it's enough to provide correct information. Lashing out or trying to punish is harmful in more than one way: it damages the container and discredits the truth. (On the last point see https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...)

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by droithomme on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:12PM (#22613255)
Fuck off dang you filthy piece of shit, ban my ass. I post valid scientific links proving my claims and you just suck the asses of your capitalist masters like Graham who are wringing their hands at the stock losses. YOU Dan, are responsible for the shitfest that is coming. You are a terrible lackey who is harming the world and your work is finally paying off for you. Enjoy your apocalypse.

This motherfucker created a brand new account to post scientific misinformation and YOU Dan are supporting that. What the FUCK is wrong with you Dan? How insane and hateful and malevolent towards humanity can you be?

BAN SCIENCE DAN. BAN IT. HARM PEOPLE, DESTROY MANKIND. THIS IS YOUR WAY.

Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by creddit on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:17PM (#22613276)
You deserve to be banned for that first line. It's not about you posting studies.
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by rolph on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:19PM (#22613285)
actually taken to an extreme he could deserve criminal charges.
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by dang on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:23PM (#22613307)
Let's not go anywhere near that far.
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by rolph on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:28PM (#22613343)
i get ya but it looks like an insinuated threat even if it was only postureing.
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by dntrkv on Wednesday March 18, 2020 @01:50AM (#22613993)
You should seek help.
Re:Why N95 masks are hard to make by treparist on Tuesday March 17, 2020 @11:08PM (#22613236)
I though we are talking about COVID