See my reply to nisuni above. I was referring to DIY masks, which is what the topic is about. Masks are definitely critical for health professionals interacting with those who are sick.
Re:Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
by endorphone on Saturday March 21, 2020 @09:08AM
(#22646249)
I suppose so, though pre-edit certainly seemed to be masks generally, including a WHO statement on masks generally. Not to mention there have been some vigorous arguments on HN where people dismiss masks wholesale (including N95 masks).
Though while dismissing DIY masks, it's worth noting that the CDC is now telling actual front-line workers to fashion masks out of bandanas, etc. Anything that slows/scatters air is going to have some effectiveness.
What government has said -- in a convoluted, almost misinformation manner -- is that from a probability perspective a mask is unlikely to be useful for an average person. They were saying this when the number of cases in the respective countries were single or double digit. But for front-line workers who by definition deal with a concentration of cases, it's much more effective and likely to be consequential.
But of course it's effective. It is a marvel that anyone seriously bought arguments to the contrary, and it is foolish misinformation that is going to plague us for years now.