Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think that different sources are using different definitions of "effective" here. If a simple surgical mask cuts down transmission rates by 50% that isn't anywhere near good enough for health workers working with sick patients every day. But it might still make a significant improvement in your chances of getting infected and, combined with social distancing, might drop the R0 below 1. Hence why Chinese and Korean…
TL:DR: The most effective use of disposable masks for blocking germ transmission is by the people with the germs who might pass them to this without but at risk. Surgical masks are meant to protect surgery patients from the medical staff and the droplet-encased germs they emanate. N95 masks are meant to protect the wearer from particulate matter (harmful dust) in the air, specifically those particles over 30 microns.…
The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
231–240 of 298 posts
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#232Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure I would call them impractical for everyday wear. I wear N95 masks when commuting during active wildfires. The news always says not to wear them because you won't put them on properly, but it's really not that hard to ensure the fitment is correct. It's not like the construction workers that wear them occupationally are rocket scientists. My partner is more vulnerable to respiratory problems and has alway…
Telling people they should wear masks because they don't put them on properly is like telling people they shouldn't drive cars because some people drive them into trees.
It's not just about putting the mask on; it's also about ensuring they swap them out regularly and don't self-infect in the process.
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#233From the paper: > If the neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 does take a part in the development of respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients, the precaution with masks will absolutely be the most effective measure to protect against the possible entry of the virus into the CNS. It may also be expected that the symptoms of the patients infected via facal-oral or conjunctival route will be lighter than those infected intranasa…
This suggests an advantage to purposeful infection by oral/eye rather than accidental by intranasal. It'll be interesting to see what the case fatality rate is when segmented by infection route.
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#234Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, only a N95 or better mask would protect you from incoming, as opposed to outgoing, viruses, and these masks are both impractical for everyday wear and need to be conserved for public health users.
Meanwhile in South Korea everyone has masks. In WWII we built one bomber an hour at one plant, and now we can't figure out how to build millions or billions of masks.
It took most of the war for that plant to get to the point of building a bomber an hour.
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#235Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is super scary. Before I read this I was happily thinking hey it's no worse than flu. Now... I'm wishing I didn't live in a huge city riding the subway daily.
When I lived in Chicago I used to practice riding the L without touching anything with my hands. In the Bay I kept up the habit. This is never not a good idea, so no time like the present to get into it.
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#236Earlier quoted context omitted.
'mouth breathing' is actually really bad for you.
How so?
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_concha#Immunological_rol...
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#237Earlier quoted context omitted.
This! It really boggles the mind that officials would discourage wearing masks (even surgical masks). You see, the best way to stop COVID-19 is to thwart its infectious potential. And this is done by two things: everybody wears masks (since nobody knows they are contagious until it's too late) and everybody washes hands constantly. But nooo, no need to panic, this is not Asia, this is The West... Freedom!... x_x
I think that the fear was of a mask shortage. Infected quarantined > Potentially Infected COVID-19 contacts wearing masks > Uninfected wearing masks.
Are they so high tech you can't just ramp up production? And how many months in advance would you need to ramp it up? We're about 3 months in and nobody got the idea to increase production of masks until about a week ago (similar for hand sanitizer, soaps etc)? What am I missing, why is that a thing?
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#238Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure I would call them impractical for everyday wear. I wear N95 masks when commuting during active wildfires. The news always says not to wear them because you won't put them on properly, but it's really not that hard to ensure the fitment is correct. It's not like the construction workers that wear them occupationally are rocket scientists. My partner is more vulnerable to respiratory problems and has alway…
Occupationally I'm a diesel mechanic,so I suppose I could be lumped into the non occupational rocket scientist category. Im learning python. Yes, we wear n95, but we also get OSHA/niosh specific training on fitment, changing, PPE exposure limit, and appropriate environments. You do not. What people are hoping is that an industrial particulate mask is going to somehow prevent the flu or corona, which honestly I have n…
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#239Earlier quoted context omitted.
given the longevity of webservices online I bet HN is gone before that day happens
HN was founded in 2007, so per the Lindy Effect we should bet on it being around until 2033. I don't know what your over-under on self-driving cars being prevalent is, so I don't know if this supports your point or not.
In cities sure. Rural areas not happening. Add the fact people like to drive to Mexico Canada and Alaska I’d call it a non starter.
Example. I have a place where the road on google maps and the place people drive vary because rural Arizona uses washes as roads. Cars driven by humans get stuck.
Re: The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2
#240Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is super scary. Before I read this I was happily thinking hey it's no worse than flu. Now... I'm wishing I didn't live in a huge city riding the subway daily.
I don't understand the worry. As of yesterday, China, a country of 1.4B, had 80,000 cases and 3,000 dead. Last year, the US had 36M infected with the flu and 34,000 died.[1] Are you panicking about the flu? [1] https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2018-2019.html
The reason to not panic but be prepared is that humanity has zero immunity to this virus, whereas there's lots of group immunity to influenza. I'm not sure why it's so hard for people to see the issue here.
It's significantly more deadly than the flu. But also, people should probably take influenza more seriously anyways.