Re:Results: Two dishtowels can be as effective as an n95 mask
by jawns on Saturday March 28, 2020 @08:39AM
(#22710772)
This research, of course, has implications for volunteers who are trying to make DIY masks for health care providers, to use as a last resort.
But I think the broader message should be: Wearing a mask in public, regardless of what material it's made from, is better than nothing.
It offers at least some protection to the wearer, and it also offers at least some protection to people around the wearer.
In several Asian countries, it is totally normal for people to wear masks in public to protect themselves and others from infectious diseases.
Perhaps this pandemic will help normalize the practice in the US. I really hope that resistance because of dumb cultural factors doesn't lead to more severe outcomes. Sure, bud, you look silly in a mask, but better silly than on a ventilator.
But I think the broader message should be: Wearing a mask in public, regardless of what material it's made from, is better than nothing.
It offers at least some protection to the wearer, and it also offers at least some protection to people around the wearer.
In several Asian countries, it is totally normal for people to wear masks in public to protect themselves and others from infectious diseases.
Perhaps this pandemic will help normalize the practice in the US. I really hope that resistance because of dumb cultural factors doesn't lead to more severe outcomes. Sure, bud, you look silly in a mask, but better silly than on a ventilator.