Jack of Harts

TLDR Version: Wear them. They are effective, if properly sterilized.

Full Version:
There are many thoughts on masks out there. Some say that anything less than a full N95 is useless. Others swear by them. Some swear at them. I live in a medical town, where masks have been a common sight long before now. We see them, we stock them, and we are prepared to use them.

In these “interesting times” as the Chinese curse put it, any mask is better than no mask if it is properly disinfected, used, and cared for. If not, they can actually cause you to get sick.

To put it simply, the standard surgical masks, homemade cloth masks, or bandannas wrapped around your face are not proof against the Wuhan Virus. Paint masks, sport masks with carbon filters, and other similar masks are also not full protection.

For full protection, you need something that is officially classed as a respirator, which the N95 is. Even then, full protection is a misnomer, as many things from fit to simple misuse can cause them to be less useful.

Surgeons do not wear surgical masks to protect them from their patient’s germs. They wear the masks to keep any of their germs from infecting the patient. An infected person will breathe the virus out when they exhale, and a surgical mask will mostly stop that. Now they do offer protection against the Wuhan Virus touching the mouth or nose, but they are not as good as a full respirator.

Cloth masks, whether homemade or professional, are not as good as surgical masks in either operation. But with surgical masks and respirators being limited to medical personnel, they may be the only option the public has. They are in no way proof against the virus. But they are better than nothing since they can stop the particulates the virus rides from touching you. As long as they are washed and sanitized between uses. Note that single layer masks are not as good as double or triple layer. And those designed to slip filters in them are better yet.

In the end, much like the concept of herd immunity, the more people who wear masks, the more effective they are. They act as a barrier to slow the virus’ ability to spread. Wearing masks is something we can do as people to show others that we are doing our part to fight the virus. They suggest we are being careful, washing our hands, and doing all the other little things it takes to fight this unseen enemy. They are a uniform of sorts, uniting us against the common enemy of us all.

I wear a mask every day at work.