This is something I’ve heard a lot, and assuming it’s true, what’s the science behind it? Surely holes in masks are the same size no matter whether the germs are heading in or out, but I’m guessing it’s not about the holes and I’m missing something.
Obligatory disclaimer: I’m not an anti-masker, I’m still wearing it in shops for example. This is just me wanting to understand.
In: Biology
The problem is that **ideally** in order for your mask to protect you while in contact with potentially infectious people who aren’t wearing a mask you need to change out your mask every 4 hours (or as soon as it is damp). Otherwise you’re giving COVID and bacteria and fungi time to accumulate and multiply on your mask material to almost certainly infectious levels.
The world health authorities knew that it was not feasible at the beginning of COVID-19 to get people to comply with having to change masks 3 or 4 times a day – there wasn’t even initial supply for 1 mask a day. So it was a comprise recommendation taking mask supply and people’s habits / potential compliance levels into account.
So your mask can be a cesspool but at least it’s preventing COVID from being aerosolized.
If a more deadly, but equally spreadable variant emerges, they might have to revise that recommendation to N95(or equivalent) masks being replaced every 4 hours in order to have an efficient protection factor.
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