Jérôme,
I love the news from Spain. I believe we had similar reports from Tokyo in Japan months ago.
@ James: “CERTIFICATION OF MASKS”: We don’t need to establish “safe exposure limits” for a mask as we are not asking citizens to go into a tuberculous hospital ward or the like.
@ Everyone: All the scientists have proven is that risk of the general public spreading Coronavirus and also of Acquiring the virus are substantially reduced by the general public wearing masks in meetings and reducing social contact.
Fox News quoted a CDC report from back in May 2020 on the prediction that spread could be reduced 80% by universal public-use of masks.
For school children, it’s more complicated. One has to ask about
“risk for 4 hr classroom exposure”. It turns out one needs both masks worn properly all day AND air filtration to reduce spread from 80% to just 2%!
Hospital workers, however need much more sophisticated protection, filtered air and shields as they are 100% at existential concentrated risk.
The public is at risk of lower INCIDENCE & DOSE of exposure and so inexpensive face coverings can reduce spread by 20-40%! That already is a great reduction, almost 1/2 of what we’d expect in the first year of vaccine availibility!
it’s a low cost temporary and safe fix.
it allows us to reduce spread and go to restaurants to dine outdoors or to do essential tasks.
Such masks don’t have to be perfect To make a substantial difference: even a cloth covering will be far better than nothing.
A “good” fitting mask is better, a certified mask even safer. Do the best you can.
Asher
[Wearing my Associate Professor of Microbiology hat!]
