These mask discussions sadden me. The usefulness of facial coverings in reducing the spread of Covid-19 is very clear to me. I struggle to understand why it isn’t to everybody.

Those who have politicized the issue and are more worried about losing “control” of their lives than the loss of lives to the virus are beyond intellectual reach. Rational, fact-based argument is pointless. But there are other mask objectors, perhaps more open to honest conversation, that I would like to address.

I see three points of discussion: (1) mask filtration effectiveness; (2) wearing a mask to protect others from you; and (3) wearing a mask to protect yourself.

(1) Mask filtration effectiveness: This has to be addressed in the context of the “challenge” seen by the filter, i.e. the stuff you’re trying to keep from going through the filter. Yes, lets all agree, the vast majority of masks out there do not have the filtration effectiveness required to filter out individual viruses. But, so what? As some said earlier in the thread, the airborne transmission threat of the virus is via small droplets of saliva or nasal discharge. How effective are these masks in reducing that threat? Depends on type, construction and fit of mask. BUT THEY ALL REDUCE THE AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION THREAT TO SOME EXTENT!

(2) Wearing a mask to protect others from you: You say you’re healthy and not a threat to anyone. Of course you don’t know that! You could be asymptomatic, not be aware that you are a carrier. You say, yeah, but my personal freedom, comfort and right to control my life outweighs the risk of infecting someone else. I ask you to reconsider.… are you really that lacking in compassion and consideration for others? But, you say, masks don’t work anyway so why bother. Masks DO work in reducing contamination spread by asymptomatic carriers; don’t let fact-deniers tell you otherwise.

(3) Wearing a mask to protect yourself: The early word was that the general public did not need to mask up. The authorities actually went so far as to say that it was inadvisable for people other than those in high threat environments to wear them. I believe this guidance was issued to prevent a run on masks that were already in critically short supply. The authorities wanted to save the masks for health care professionals and others that needed them.
Well and good, but the message that came through is that the masks don’t protect you, the wearer, they only protect other people from your ejection of saliva and nasal discharge droplets. To this day, it seems the message still is for people to wear masks only to keep asymptomatic carriers from contaminating others. Usually NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT WEARING A MASK TO PROTECT YOURSELF! A mask, depending on type, construction and fit WILL provide you with a level of protection from airborne inhalation hazards. If not so, why do health professionals working with Covid-19 patients wear them and why are they so alarmed about mask shortages??

To summarize, wearing a mask will not only reduce the probability of you contaminating someone else, but it will also reduce the risk of you inhaling virus-laden droplets. This is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Yes, most of the masks we see will not give you full protection from an ambient inhalation hazard. But the name of the game is RISK REDUCTION! For me, almost any percentage of risk reduction is worth putting up with the hassle of wearing a mask when I go out in public. Add to that the satisfaction that I’m helping protect my fellow humans from me and it’s a no brainer…..

Please, wear your masks and encourage others that if they wear a mask it's not only good for protecting the other guy but is also good for protecting themselves!

Stay safe y’all!

And thanks to the OP for starting this thread with a great post!