1. Duane Kerzic Duane Kerzic United States says:

    This is not what the study said. It's what one person said after reading it. It doesn't not reflect common sense to anyone that actually is a virologist. And the 'study' only followed people for a period of 5 months. Maybe you need to learn to read?

    And Fauci's email was written early in the pandemic. And at that time it was not known that covid spread asymptomatically. There has never been a respiratory virus that spread asymptomatically know to exist before this one. So there goes your 'common sense'.

    And it has been proven time and again that wearing a mask reduces the reproduction constant. But that's probably above your education level to be able to understand.

    • DeLaun Fifield DeLaun Fifield United States says:

      Maybe it is YOU who needs a little lesson in permeability. So lets begin. How can a filter that is 700 times larger than the particle STOP the particle? Covid 19 is .0125 microns in size, the holes in the mask are .700 microns in size-or roughly 600 times LARGER than Covid! So please explain to me, "the uneducated" how a mask can do ANYTHING to stop Covid 19 transmission??

      • Samrod Shenassa Samrod Shenassa United States says:

        "Covid 19 is .0125 microns in size"

        The diameter of the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is about 0.1µm in diameter.

        "the holes in the mask are .700 microns in size"

        Holes in woven face masks are even larger, between 5µm to 200µm, yet still keep the 0.1µm virus from passing thru. There are additional factors that must be considered.

        • When we shed virus, we're actually shedding packets of water that contain particles of SARS-Cov-2. These packets-- called aerosols when under 5µm in size, and just droplets when larger-- are far larger than whatever virus they may be carrying.

        • While the gaps between actual fibers are larger than the virus particle, the fibers are wider than the gaps, and have smaller fibers protruding from them in various directions like a vine.

        • At the microscopic level, traveling thru the gaps is less like passing thru a chain linked fence and more like drunk flying through a long tunnel with thick bushes and shrubs growing off the walls.

        • Traveling randomly in all directions rather that straight lines, aerosols have a high rate of impacting with fibers or the many offshoots. This is called diffusion.

        • Finally, masks usually have multiple layers of protection insuring that exponentially fewer particles make it thru each successive barrier.

        I hope knowing the mechanics at the microscopic level clarifies how masks offer so much protection despite having gaps so much larger than the virus particles.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
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