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Thoughts on Face Masks


(They get in the way)

Based on my recent comment to an article in The Register.

The Argument For Face Masks?

One of the surprising aspects of the pandemic is that a behaviour considered pretty normal, in much of the Far East and South Asia, is so controversial in West, attracting many conspiracy theories.  That act is wearing a face mask, in public, either where one has cold or flu, or during an epidemic, is done by pretty much anyone who lives in China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.  In the Far East, personal responsibility is still very much a thing; people tend to keep their diseases to themselves and the masks are pretty ubiquitous at any time.

So why do we wear face masks when in confinement? Masks are just used as things that get in the way of other things. In this case, we are hoping masks get in the way of airborne droplets containing a virus. Masks are porous, which is generally a good thing.  The wearer of a none porous mask would have a worse problem than the virus itself.  A porous mask will, statistically, let some droplets though, causing the mask wearer to either catch or spread the virus.  To mitigate this, a mask can be constructed using two or more layers, providing a better aggregate probability of effectiveness.
So masks do not in themselves guarantee to stop the spread of the disease. Rather, different masks provide different degrees of protection, typically expressed as probabilities. Numerically illiterate people seriously lose their shit over this, as evidenced by many comments online.  Yet the science suggests the act of wearing a mask is worthwhile.  See:


"These data also suggest that wearing face masks protects people (both health-care workers and the general public) against infection by these coronaviruses, and that eye protection could confer additional benefit. However, none of these interventions afforded complete protection from infection, and their optimum role might need risk assessment and several contextual considerations.”
Given the above, my thinking on the use of masks is quite simple.  Who should I put my trust in when evaluating the effectiveness of face coverings?  Someone who writes for The Spectator and calls masks Face Nappies?  Or The Lancet?  I think I’ll put my money on the science (and some three layer, reusable face masks).

So what are the risks?  In my experience they are twofold.  As a mask user, I know safe usage requires me to sanitise my hands when putting the mask on and also when taking it off.  If I go on a shopping expedition where I visit multiple shops, I end up using a lot of hand sanitiser.  I observe a lot of people not bothering to do this.  I also observe people assuming they do not have to observe social distancing quite so much when wearing a mask.  A mask does not replace other measures.  Rather it adds an additional layer of protection.  

Looking At The Arguments Against Face Masks

I thought I’d finish this by looking at some of the arguments, against face masks.  The anti mask people tend to deploy three different arguments.
  • They are not effective/don’t help.  It's not hard to Google for scientific material that says otherwise.
  • They spread infection and you end up breathing in your own mucus.  Well, since it’s your own biological material you’re inhaling/exhaling.  Also, where is the annual epidemic of mask related illness in the Far East?
  • Face masks cause Hypoxia.  Again, point me to the annual epidemic of mask related Hypoxia in the Far East (where people tend to be somewhat healthier than their European/US contemporaries)?

Layers, Malaria and COVID-19

When I look at the approaches to curbing the spread of COVID-19 I see little difference to the approach I take to avoiding Malaria or Dengue over many business trips to parts of the world where these two diseases are prevalent.  With Malaria, for example, I know that the prophylaxis is around 92% effective while I want to be as near to 100% certainty as I can get that I will not catch this disease.  So, I spray on inspect repellent, wear long trousers and long sleeves in the evening and spray my room. Each additional measure perhaps adds a percentage point or two to my overall protection, probably never quite making it to 100%.

The same is true with COVID-19, the difference being we’re not all just trying to protect number one.  For me, the layers are:
  • Do the whole hands, face and space thing.
  • Avoid crowded places (indoors or outdoors).
  • Shop only at off peak times.
  • Wear a mask when entering any shop or place of confinement.
Oh, and as it says on my t-shirt, Stay at 127.0.0.1; wear a 255.255.255.0.

© Jason Hindle

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