Well I stumbled upon this tweet by Dr.Linsey Marr,(Linsey Chen Marr is an American scientist who is the Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech) (https://twitter.com/linseymarr/status/1258135506610774016)
Her Tweet says,
"There are reasons to think that universal mask wearing will allow us to re-open the economy, with restrictions, without causing huge spikes in cases that will overwhelm hospitals".
We know a vaccine may take years, and in the meantime, we will need to find ways to make our societies function as safely as possible. Our governments can and should do much — make tests widely available, fund research, ensure medical workers have everything they need. But ordinary people are not helpless; in fact, we have more power than we realize. Along with keeping our distance whenever possible and maintaining good hygiene, all of us wearing just a cloth mask could help stop this pandemic in its tracks.
We do know that in every region that has adopted widespread mask-wearing, case and death rates have been reduced within a few weeks.
For example, in Hong Kong, only four confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 have been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, despite high density, mass transportation, and proximity to Wuhan. Hong Kong’s health authorities credit their citizens’ near-universal mask-wearing as a key factor (surveys show almost 100 percent voluntary compliance). Similarly, Taiwan ramped up mask production early on and distributed masks to the population, mandating their use in public transit and recommending their use in other public places — a recommendation that has been widely complied with. The country continues to function fully, and their schools have been open since the end of February 2020.
COVID-19 is a novel disease and we’re learning new things about it every day. However, much of the confusion around masks stems from the conflation of two very different functions of masks.
Masks can be worn to protect the wearer from getting infected or masks can be worn to protect others from being infected by the wearer.
If we lower the likelihood of one person infecting another, the impact is exponential, so even a small reduction in those odds results in a huge decrease in deaths. Luckily, blocking transmission outward at the source is much easier. It can be accomplished with something as simple as a cloth mask. So here is detail on masks.
Mask in combination with social distancing is even more powerful.
For Immuno compromised people may want to use non-medical N 95 have exhalation valves (to make them less stuffy for the wearer) that let out unfiltered air, thus they won’t stop infecting other. SO they SHOULD NOT BE WORN AROUND OTHER PEOPLE UNLESS THE VALVE IS COVERED WITH TAPE OR CLOTH.
Every infection has reproduction rate called “R”. In 1918 flu had R rate was 1.8. one infected person causes 2 infections. Covid -19 "R"rate is 2.4. If R falls below 1 . The lower the number faster it dies out.
We can get effective RO( Reproduction rate ) of less than 1.That is enough to halt the disease.
Models show that if 80% people wear masks that are 60% effective( easily achievable by cloth).We can get to an effective R0 of less than one. That’s enough to halt the spread of the disease. Many countries already have more than 80 percent of their population wearing masks in public.
So, we the ordinary people are not helpless; in fact, we have more power than we realize. Along with keeping our distance whenever possible and maintaining good hygiene, all of us wearing just a cloth mask could help stop this pandemic in its tracks.
So, Please Mask Up!
Stay Safe, Stay Healthy!
Bharati Jajoo
OTR CEAS AOEAS
Bharati@bodydynamics.in
Comments