Ok I’ll weigh in on the masks:<p>Everything I have read that says “don’t wear a mask” are predicated on the following arguments:<p>1. Most people don’t wear it right so it’s not worth it<p>2. Most people buy the wrong kind of mask<p>3. Most people won’t charge the mask often enough<p>4. You have to take the mask off to eat/ eventually anyway so it doesn’t matter.<p>5. Hospitals need the masks not you<p>...therefore don’t buy masks.<p>Ok...<p>But what if I wear it right, change it often, use the right kind and only wear it in a “high risk” situation, like riding a train or other enclosed space?<p>Every article that says “don’t buy masks because this expert said so” is basically admitting that they DO work. Ok, maybe not “on average” and maybe it’s not effective at “protecting an entire country”. Sure. But that doesn’t mean it won’t work to protect ME.<p>So bacially it boils down to no one wanting to recommend masks for the above reasons, and to prevent a run on masks. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t effective if you do it right. Anyway, that’s my two cents on all this mask/no mask malarkey. Would love to be proven wrong.
one interesting note from the article:<p>——————————<p>Claim: ‘Face masks don’t work’<p>Wearing a face mask is not an iron clad guarantee that you won’t get sick – viruses can also transmit through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can still penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is the main transmission route of coronavirus, and some studies have estimated a roughly five-fold protection versus no barrier. If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on. If you’re just walking around town and not in close contact with others, wearing a mask is unlikely to make any difference.
"Asymmetry. Convex decision. So long as there is no risk of harm from masks & disinfectants, the decision is wise, in spite of the "absence of evidence"." @nntaleb[1]<p>[1] <a href="https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1233374759271923712" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1233374759271923712</a>