Can’t I just…turn the masks inside out?
Kidding!
But really, I don’t get it.
In: Technology
The way you *spread* disease is mostly by spewing out germs from your mouth and nose. A surgical mask blocks most of this.
The way you *contract* disease is mostly by getting germs on your hand and then touching your face. A surgical mask doesn’t stop much of this because if you need to scratch your eye or rub your nose, you’re probably just gonna stick your fingers under the mask.
The way disease typically spreads is as follows: mouth spews out germs -> germs land on surface -> hand touches surface -> germs get on hand -> hand touches face -> germs get into facial orifices (mouth, eyes, nose)
You can see how a mask interrupts that very first arrow, but doesn’t do much about the last one. It helps a little bit, especially if it reminds you to stop touching your face. And if someone coughs or sneezes *directly* into your face, it can give you some protection obviously. But usually germs don’t go directly from someone’s mouth onto your face, they usually take a pit stop on a desk, door handle, a dollar bill, a cell phone, a computer mouse. And then they get from there to your hand and then to your face.
Latest Answers