Do cloth masks do anything?

[Bill the Cat]

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4420971/

Main outcome measure
Clinical respiratory illness (CRI), influenza-like illness (ILI) and laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus infection.

Results
The rates of all infection outcomes were highest in the cloth mask arm, with the rate of ILI statistically significantly higher in the cloth mask arm (relative risk (RR)=13.00, 95% CI 1.69 to 100.07) compared with the medical mask arm. Cloth masks also had significantly higher rates of ILI compared with the control arm. An analysis by mask use showed ILI (RR=6.64, 95% CI 1.45 to 28.65) and laboratory-confirmed virus (RR=1.72, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.94) were significantly higher in the cloth masks group compared with the medical masks group. Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97% and medical masks 44%

Conclusions
This study is the first RCT of cloth masks, and the results caution against the use of cloth masks. This is an important finding to inform occupational health and safety. Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.

© Copyright Original Source

What say you?

[Whateverman]

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4420971/

Main outcome measure
Clinical respiratory illness (CRI), influenza-like illness (ILI) and laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus infection.

Results
The rates of all infection outcomes were highest in the cloth mask arm, with the rate of ILI statistically significantly higher in the cloth mask arm (relative risk (RR)=13.00, 95% CI 1.69 to 100.07) compared with the medical mask arm. Cloth masks also had significantly higher rates of ILI compared with the control arm. An analysis by mask use showed ILI (RR=6.64, 95% CI 1.45 to 28.65) and laboratory-confirmed virus (RR=1.72, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.94) were significantly higher in the cloth masks group compared with the medical masks group. Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97% and medical masks 44%

Conclusions
This study is the first RCT of cloth masks, and the results caution against the use of cloth masks. This is an important finding to inform occupational health and safety. Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.

© Copyright Original Source

What say you?

I say cloth masks are vastly more-effective than no mask, and N95 masks are vastly more effective than cloth masks. Nothing in this study challenges either claim.

[Bill the Cat]

I say cloth masks are vastly more-effective than no mask, and N95 masks are vastly more effective than cloth masks. Nothing in this study challenges either claim.

"Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97%". Sounds like that challenges your statement pretty strongly.

[mikewhitney]

"Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97%". Sounds like that challenges your statement pretty strongly.

Tread lightly. You are confronting Whateverman on his religious beliefs. He is part of the coronavirus cult.

Thanks for the info from nih

[Whateverman]

I say cloth masks are vastly more-effective than no mask, and N95 masks are vastly more effective than cloth masks. Nothing in this study challenges either claim.

"Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97%". Sounds like that challenges your statement pretty strongly.

Not one bit. Particle penetration is actually useful when the goal is to limit the distance those particles travel.

[Whateverman]

To nip this in the bud:

The study involved healthcare workers, not the general public. Those people are almost literally bathing in COVID-19 every day, and often being forced to reuse PPE. For those people, a cloth mask is a serious liability - and no one ever thought differently. Their PPE is meant to protect them.

For the average citizen going to the store, their PPE is meant to protect other people from them, so a cloth mask is quite effective. Still not as effective as a surgical mask et al, but infinitely more effective than nothing.

People who still don't understand how masks work by now are willfully ignorant.

[mossrose]

Drat.

I've sewn 6 of them.

[mikewhitney]

Drat.

I've sewn 6 of them.

Can you make some doily masks for me? in black or navy blue?

[mossrose]

Can you make some doily masks for me? in black or navy blue?

I'll look for a knitting pattern. Although it's probably easier for you to buy some chain link fencing and use that.

Cheaper, too.

[mikewhitney]

It maybe has to be cloth.

I can maybe check for stuff at Michaels hobby supplies

[mossrose]

I really don't want to sew anymore masks, especially when I would have to ship them to you. So, probably no point in looking for anything at Michaels. I don't think they sell fabric anyway, at least the ones up here don't. You could just as easily take a strip of fabric and tie it around your face, and I've seen no-sew masks that use elastic hair ties, for those non-sewers.

Besides, the cloth masks don't work very well.

I've worn one of mine once, and that was before the province started handing them out at fast food places.

[Leonhard]

The best cheap mask you can make is using a HEPA filter from a vacuum cleaner those are pretty effective.

[mikewhitney]

The best cheap mask you can make is using a HEPA filter from a vacuum cleaner those are pretty effective.

I tried that. But the dust was too much for me.

[Maranatha]

I tried that. But the dust was too much for me.

I couldn't get over the overwhelming desire to suck my floor...

[Leonhard]

I tried that. But the dust was too much for me.

You're not supposed to use a spent one, eww.