One really cool thing about masks: unlike what was originally thought, probably protect the person wearing them, not just other people! So if you interact with unmasked people indoors, there is hope that a mask will still protect you, even if the people around you are being dicks!
Originally, it was suspected that Covid-19 spread through droplets on surfaces: a person would talk, cough, or sneeze. The droplet would then fall on a surface rather quickly. Another person would touch the surface, then their face. Masks offer little protection here.
But it's looking more and more like this isn't really a major way the virus spreads. Rather, it's through aerosols. These are much smaller droplets that stay in the air for hours at a time. These smaller droplets are then inhaled. This is, naturally, much scarier. But it also means that masks can prevent you from inhaling the virus. Especially if it's a respirator mask (e.g. N95). And it's also part of why being outside is also good protection: when you're outside, the air currents naturally disperse aerosols very quickly).
Evidence on this still isn't that solid, but studies have been done that show masks probably protect the people wearing them at least somewhat.
Also, please please please wear a mask. People are contagious days before showing any symptoms. And there are a *lot* of people who are contagious even though they're both not showing symptoms and testing negative: before symptoms appear, there just isn't enough virus to show up on the tests. And even then people sometimes keep testing negative. Fuck I wish the US had competent and at least somewhat compassionate leadership.
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One really cool thing about masks: unlike what was originally thought, probably protect the person wearing them, not just other people! So if you interact with unmasked people indoors, there is hope that a mask will still protect you, even if the people around you are being dicks!
Originally, it was suspected that Covid-19 spread through droplets on surfaces: a person would talk, cough, or sneeze. The droplet would then fall on a surface rather quickly. Another person would touch the surface, then their face. Masks offer little protection here.
But it's looking more and more like this isn't really a major way the virus spreads. Rather, it's through aerosols. These are much smaller droplets that stay in the air for hours at a time. These smaller droplets are then inhaled. This is, naturally, much scarier. But it also means that masks can prevent you from inhaling the virus. Especially if it's a respirator mask (e.g. N95). And it's also part of why being outside is also good protection: when you're outside, the air currents naturally disperse aerosols very quickly).
Evidence on this still isn't that solid, but studies have been done that show masks probably protect the people wearing them at least somewhat.
Also, please please please wear a mask. People are contagious days before showing any symptoms. And there are a *lot* of people who are contagious even though they're both not showing symptoms and testing negative: before symptoms appear, there just isn't enough virus to show up on the tests. And even then people sometimes keep testing negative. Fuck I wish the US had competent and at least somewhat compassionate leadership.