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
Viruses float on water particles, which are big when you exhale and shrink as they float around and evaporate. Masks are better at blocking the big ones.
Let’s say a room has a high concentration of virus in the air – we’ll call it 100 arbitrary units. If a mask is 70% effective, you will still breathe in 30 units of virus.
If all the sick people in the room wear masks, the concentration of virus in the room drops to 30 units. That’s much less virus for your mask to have to block, making it much more effective at keeping the virus out.
If you add distancing, you’ll further lower the amount of virus you’re exposed to and the probability of getting sick.
The virus is carried by little drops of water you spit around.
Imagine a guy with a small shield (the shield can’t cover his entire body) and another guy is shooting arrows at him from 10 meters away. Sooner or later an arrow will hit a leg or another part of the victim (for the virus: hands eyes and clothing are all valid targets)
Now place the same shield just an inch in front of the bow. How can an arrow ever leave the bow in the first place?
“Pants help stop you from peeing on others, but don’t help stop others from peeing on you.”
Imagine you and another kid in your preschool are facing each other. He needs a pee. If he pees and neither of you are wearing trousers, you get his pee on you. If you are wearing trousers but he isn’t, you get his pee on your trousers. If he’s wearing trousers it really doesn’t matter whether you are or not. He gets wet trousers. You walk away dry.
Pee is a cough. Trousers are the mask.
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