Editor,
How effective are face coverings? If you are following instructions from San Mateo County, face coverings may be more harmful than beneficial. Our county health officer, Dr. Scott Morrow, enacted an order that requires each person engaged in recreational activities to bring a face covering and wear it when it’s difficult to maintain social distancing.
Each person should “carry the face covering in a readily accessible location, such as around the person’s neck or in a pocket, for such use.” For a mask to be even remotely effective, it has to be worn correctly. Dr. Morrow’s instruction goes against everything we’ve been told about mask effectiveness from Fauci and the CDC. From the CDC: “Don’t put the mask around your neck or up on your forehead. Don’t touch the mask, and, if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to disinfect.”
Touching your face mask with unclean hands may transfer the virus (if you happen upon it) to the exact area you don’t want it ... your face. At this point, with all the conflicting instructions, contradictory requirements, and general misinformation, it is becoming evident that masks belong in the theater of security, like taking your shoes off at TSA. In time, we may be offered COVID-pre, like TSA-pre, where, for a fee, we can bypass all the needless and useless government orders. Or, maybe people will come to their senses and realize even government officials know masks are just for show ... nah, COVID-pre it is.
Aiden Mendoza
Burlingame
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(8) comments
Foolish argument. Hoping I don't run into the writer around a tight corner. I'll be protecting him, but it sounds like he won't be returning the favor.
Perhaps a different analogy: The virus as a small house fly. The standard, flimsy, one string around each ear mask you see everyone wearing as a chain link fence. Seeing others wearing masks may make you feel better, but realistically, they are not doing much.
Rather than worry about what others are breathing OUT (or the virus load in your location), think about keeping yourself from INHALING virus particles. That is YOUR personal/best line of defense. Go and invest in whatever high-quality mask that makes YOU feel safe.
Aside: Seeing someone with a high grade or specialized mask out in public and thus identifying as an at-risk individual may prompt additional courtesy from those in your vicinity.
Many of the high grade medical masks that protect the person from inhaling particles are also those that allow easy exhale of particles by way of the design and valves. Protects the user but not so much the others near by.
That is a fair point. Let's imagine an infected individual exhaling virus. Quantity / Separation / Length of exposure are all variables. We would like to protect the person who is not already infected. Now we are back guarding against the inhalation.
The grade of mask used will depend on the individual and their level of risk acceptance.
If you honestly think you can "protect" someone with a piece of cloth, then you have God complex like nobody's business
Good. You have made the next step. Time to eliminate masking.
Get some info on this person and maybe make a statue to send to the Smithsonian. A person with a hispanic name with all the talking points of a right wing Trump supporter is a rare specimen indeed.
If there was any question that masks are just for show and that racism is alive and well in San Mateo County, this response says it all.
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