People should wear simple cloth masks in public, CDC recommends, to reduce spread of coronavirus

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post

President Trump on Friday announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wear a simple cloth mask while out in public. The debate about whether the public should wear masks came after increasing evidence that infected people without symptoms can spread the coronavirus. Medical masks should still be reserved for health-care workers.

While making the announcement, Trump said it was “voluntary" and that that he is choosing not to do it, though “it may be good.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/04/03/coronavirus-latest-news/

---

Full headline: Live updates: People should wear simple cloth masks in public, CDC recommends, to reduce spread of coronavirus

[pazzyanne]

1. Leading from behind, per usual! nt

[Warpy]

4. Under pressure from Big Dummy

who wanted a feel-good measure that will work about as well as hoarding toilet paper to sell for ten bucks a roll has.

Cotton masks are great for dust and grit. They do nothing for viruses. People wore them during the 1918 pandemic and they did nothing at all.

The vacuum cleaner/furnace filter masks will actually work if they're constructed correctly, but they're also very difficult to breathe through. However, if someone in the house has the virus and that's all you've got, they will work in combination with good hand washing. Cotton won't, except possibly as a fashion statement..

N-95 masks should be used for 2 groups: those who are ill and those who are caring for them.

The CDC has said for weeks that masks shouldn't be worn by healthy people just because they're in public. Big Dummy and his buddies are looking to make a financial killing on all the masks they've diverted away from healthcare workers both here and in other countries.

T

[LisaL]

7. About 20% of covid infected people are asymptomatic.

So those healthy people in public might not be so healthy after all. They don't have symptoms, but they can still infect others.

[BigmanPigman]

2. Answers to "What Are The Best Materials for Making DIY Masks?"

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask-virus/

This link has charts and graphs which show the materials, thicknesses, filtering abilities, etc of various items used to make masks. It looks like a doubled layered dish towel is almost as good as a surgical mask. A regular (not specifically HEPA vacuum bag) is the next best.

"Mask:
Researchers at Cambridge University tested a wide range of household materials for homemade masks. To measure effectiveness, they shot Bacillus atrophaeus bacteria (0.93-1.25 microns) and Bacteriophage MS virus (0.023 microns in size) at different household materials.
They measured what percentage the materials could capture and compared them to the more common surgical mask."

[womanofthehills]

9. Recommendations keep changing - now they say just talking can spread it

Also now they are also talking about different sizes of droplets and that 6 feet might be too close. Recommendations of 23 to 29 ft - if someone is coughing. All I know is I am wearing a mask and gloves when I go out. Common sense tells me a mask will keep out at least half of the droplets.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

5. Is that like saying 'sure PLEASE wash your hands for 5 seconds'....

it will be help, but will NOT be as effective as......

These recommendations that then can be followed with a 'yes, but...' may be technically truthful... but far from accurate. Sigh Games. And people die.

[They_Live]

6. They didn't say "Simon says"

but I guess I will still do it. I'm high risk and have an "essential" job for the state of TX. Wife's already working at home, so I go to the deserted office. Small crew but still interact with other folk.

[appalachiablue]

8. Are we sure though, I mean is this a go, or is it going to change again???

[SeattleVet]

11. Will they now begin repealing the anti-Muslim laws barring face coverings?

I remember not too long ago how all up-in-arms the wingnuts were about the dire consequences to all of society if people were allowed to go around in public with coverings on their faces.

Or were those laws written so narrowly that they only applied to Muslim women?

(Haven't head a peep about how bad face coverings are in a while...it seems that these people have become about as quiet recently as the anti-vaxxers.)

[BumRushDaShow]

12. I hate to say

but that was literally the first thing I thought about when they came out with this revised guidance. Lots of head explosions.

Burkas are now "in".