Maskerade is a fantasy book about the Discworld written by Sir Terry Pratchett in 1995. I only mention this to let you know where the title of this article originated...and that it's not misspelled.
Earlier, I thought about posting an article simply called Maskerade, but later I decided not to. So you'll likely never get to read Maskerade I.
The first several parts of Maskerade II are my delving into the research and suggestions (as of late June, 2020) into the wearing of face masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
The last part will be my own thoughts about the matter put forth as logically as I know how.
What Does the WHO Say?
Let's start with what should be the definitive source for mask-wearing - the World Health Organization (WHO).
There is a downloadable document (PDF) you can get to on this page.
It is entitled "Advice on the use of masks in the context of COVID-19" and is dated June 5, 2020.
It's not a difficult read, so if you're really interested, you could easily peruse it yourself to get all the details they provide in about 12 pages, including tables. Not all of it is likely applicable to you, unless you work in the healthcare industry or something closely related.
After some general background info, there is a section on using masks in health care settings. Then comes the most interesting section called "Guidance on the use of masks for the general public".
I'll be taking most, if not all, quotations from that section. I'll be trying really hard not to take anything out of context to make it say something that it really doesn't. Again, check the original document for yourself, if you're in doubt.
Here's the first interesting item I found.
"At present, there is no direct evidence (from studies on COVID-19 and in healthy people in the community) on the effectiveness of universal masking of healthy people in the community to prevent infection with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19."
I almost feel like I could stop right there. That statement says a lot. But, since the WHO says more, so will I.
"In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is recommended that all persons, regardless of whether they are using masks or not, should…” do all the other things you've been hearing about - social distance, wash hands, cover your mouth when sneezing and coughing, and try not to touch your face.
I quoted that first part because of what it doesn't say. There is no command to wear a mask. The WHO fully recognizes that some people are not going to be wearing masks.
Pros and Cons of Wearing a Mask
In a section of advice to decision makers, the WHO lists 5 potential benefits or advantages to wearing masks. They then list 11 potential harms or disadvantages. I realize that the significance of one or more items in each group could outweigh all the others in the opposite group, but the raw numbers are telling too.
I'll summarize the benefits and let you read the doc on your own for the harms.
- Reduced potential exposure risk from infected persons
- Reduced potential stigmatization
- Making people feel they can play a role in contributing to stopping spread of the virus
- Reminding people to be compliant with other measures
- Potential social and economic benefits
Several of those are really weak reasons for wearing a mask. The third one (quoted exactly) actually made me smile.
What Type of Mask to Wear
Most people you see aren't wearing a "medical mask", and they shouldn't be. They're wearing a "plain" cloth mask.
The questions are: What kind(s) of cloth should such a mask be made of? And how should it be constructed?
The WHO suggests layers of fabric that both filter and breathe. There is a table with lots of figures to help you come up with the best solution you can. It's interesting to note that they don't come right out and say, "Use this!"
"A minimum of three layers is required for non-medical masks, depending on the fabric used."
How many layers do most masks out there in the wild actually have? One? Maybe two?
"WHO is collaborating with research and development partners and the scientific community engaged in textile engineering and fabric design to facilitate a better understanding of the effectiveness and efficiency of non-medical [that is, cloth] masks."
The world's leading health authority is saying that, as of early June, 2020, they don't have all the answers on masks currently available.
"WHO urges countries that have issued recommendations on the use of both medical and non-medical masks by healthy people in community settings to conduct research on this important topic. Such research needs to look at whether SARS-CoV-2 particles can be expelled through non-medical masks of poor quality worn by a person with symptoms of COVID-19 while that person is coughing, sneezing or speaking."
So, someday we may know if the masks many people are now wearing are doing any good.
What Does the CDC Say?
The following quotations come from this page.
The first thing the CDC wants you to see on that page is this - highlighted in a yellow box…
"A cloth face covering may not protect the wearer, but it may keep the wearer from spreading the virus to others."
The CDC seems to suggest that the 6-foot distance is more important than a mask.
"Cloth face coverings provide an extra layer to help prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people."
Besides that yellow box, they state several times that wearing a mask doesn't protect you. It protects others in case you are a carrier of the virus.
So, according to the CDC (not the WHO, as far as I could see), if you're worried about getting the virus, wearing a mask isn't going to cut it. Just stay home instead.
On this page, the Surgeon General shows how to make your own mask. I'd be a little wary of his style though. If you pick a fabric that doesn't breathe very well, you won't be able to breathe very well either, because his mask has a lot more than 3 layers.
What Does the Mayo Clinic Say?
Not much that hasn't already been said by the WHO or the CDC. I guess that's as it should be.
What Does Johns Hopkins Say?
Again, they mimic the statements of the CDC. Fair enough.
Here is my source.
They do seem to make masks almost an afterthought though.
"While wearing a mask will prevent you from spreading COVID-19 if you have it and don't know it, physical distancing and frequent, thorough handwashing are still the best ways to avoid getting COVID-19."
What Do I Say?
I'm taking a step back from the mask-wearing question to ask this: How are you going to become immune to the virus?
The answer is this: The same way you become immune to any ailment. You acquire it and beat it.
If everyone were wearing a mask and keeping their distance from you, how would you ever acquire it so you could beat it and become immune?
Do you have the idea (that I get from some sportscasters I hear on the radio) that, if you get the virus, you're as good as dead?
That's simply not true. Look at the statistics - either for your state or your country or the world as a whole.
What is your current health? How old are you? Those seem to be the two factors that matter the most.
If you're quite old and/or have other health concerns that pertain here, stay home. I hope you never get the virus. Leave it to the rest of us to spread it around and become immune.
That said, not all elderly or health-compromised people are dying from the virus. It's just that they are the most susceptible.
Most people do recover (if they get sick at all) after acquiring the virus.
Why I Don't Wear a Mask
In case it's not obvious from the above, here's why I don't wear a mask.
I'm not concerned about getting the virus myself. For all I know, I may have already acquired it and become immune. I'm not in one of the groups most likely to die from it. Even if I were, if this virus is my ticket to heaven, amen.
But as you read above, my wearing a mask doesn't protect me anyway.
I would like to see as many people become immune as possible. Wearing a mask helps defeat that goal, as do all the other "safety" measures.
Sooner or later, nearly everyone needs to become immune. Some will die. Some won't. And that will happen no matter how long people wear masks, keep their distance, etc.
How long would you like this way of life to last?
If wearing a mask makes you feel better, go for it. But don't tell me I have to wear one to stop the spread of the virus, because I want this to end sooner rather than later.
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