Originally Posted by
ChipS
"I think masks are just plain dumb and avoid them at all costs."
I respectfully disagree. I agree that they're probably don't do much good outdoors (except maybe in a large packed crowd outside), but I do think they can work inside. It's true that the virus particles are smaller than the openings in the mask, so a mask won't prevent individual airborne particles from getting through, but they do prevent - or greatly diminish - small particles of saliva that we all expel when talking. From my limited understanding, the dose of virus is important, so a single airborne virus probably isn't sufficient to infect someone. However, those spit particles can be full of virus, so that's where I think masks can help prevent transmission - especially from the person wearing the mask.
Here's the first paragraph of the conclusion from a peer-reviewed article titled 'An evidence review of face masks against COVID-19' (Proceedings from the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America):
"Our review of the literature offers evidence in favor of widespread mask use as source control to reduce community transmission: Nonmedical masks use materials that obstruct particles of the necessary size; people are most infectious in the initial period postinfection, where it is common to have few or no symptoms (45, 46, 141); nonmedical masks have been effective in reducing transmission of respiratory viruses; and places and time periods where mask usage is required or widespread have shown substantially lower community transmission."
