# To Mask or Not to Mask, that is the Question **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [August 12, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910 "2020-08-12T18:08:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Pheonix1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pheonix1/32/4236_2.png) [@Pheonix1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pheonix1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/81 "2020-08-14T15:50:01Z")
There’s no need for this to be a lengthy back and forth but you are asking for an easily accessible fact. Asking someone else to Google for you, as I doubt WhatExit has it memorized, isn’t really a necessary part of the discussion here. ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/82 "2020-08-14T15:53:31Z")
I’m not asking him to Google it for me. I don’t want a Google answer. He is talking about the measures taken in New Jersey, and the effect they had, and he is using some graphical data to illustrate the point. I’d like to see if he can confirm what I think the graphical data may indeed illustrate in support of his point. If he can’t confirm that, though, then maybe the graphical data doesn’t illustrate what he thinks it does. This is all kinda connected, you see. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/84 "2020-08-14T16:04:57Z")
Mid-March from my memory. That’s when I started working from home. Maybe third week in March? ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/85 "2020-08-14T16:13:53Z")
Well, the curves at 91-divoc do seem to take a very dramatic turn at the second week of April. Maybe there’s a bit of a lag, or it took a little while for the measures to ‘take’. Probably hard to draw conclusions either way, but that curve in particular certainly doesn’t look smooth at the top, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/86 "2020-08-14T16:49:50Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Maybe ask yourself, if your child was going into surgery, would you want the team to wear masks? > > Why? It’s not them who are at risk. In fact the risk might actually be quite low. Is it still a precaution you’d want taken? Have you ever questioned that application of mask usage? Or just accepted it as clearly best practice? > > I believe most everyone, even if the risk were low, would want that precaution taken. > > Having a hard time with people struggling with this concept, it’s purpose, or it’s effectiveness when examples clearly lie before you daily I’ve tried this argument. The response I usually get is “The surgeons wear masks to prevent patient fluids from going into their mouth. The masks do not protect the patient from anything” ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/87 "2020-08-14T16:58:28Z")
We locked down and a couple of weeks later, there’s a dramatic reversal in the number of cases. But it’s hard to draw conclusions either way? And, Arizona, for example, reopens and the number of cases increases. Holy shit! I wonder what could have caused that?? Probably aliens or something. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/88 "2020-08-14T17:37:15Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Just to clarify, mask wearing is less about you keeping safe and more about keeping others safe. If we have compliance and/or 6’ separation then the spread drops a lot. > > (Snipped) > > It protects you a little, partly as a reminder not to bring your hand to your mouth and to avoid rubbing your eyes which is very tough. Are you basing this on studies, or statements, or something else? The efficacy of N95 masks in preventing infection has been shown. I don’t think it’s clear yet how protective masks can be for the wearer. Certainly some masks – like n95s – might be very protective for the wearer. Other materials are unknown at this point, but there is a reasonable hypothesis that a well-filtering, well-fitting mask would work both ways. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/89 "2020-08-14T19:06:01Z")
A quick google search reveals it’s actually protection for both. Against fluids and pathogens going either way. So again, do they/you want the surgeon to wear it, or not? Much more telling, NO ONE ever had a problem with it, or questioned it, in ANYWAY. Still evidence of very poor thinking skills in my mind, that they can’t see the similarity. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/90 "2020-08-14T19:25:20Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Still evidence of very poor thinking skills in my mind, that they can’t see the similarity I agree. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/91 "2020-08-14T20:27:39Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > The efficacy of N95 masks in preventing infection has been shown. I just realized my post is ambiguous. I mean it’s been shown that n95 masks prevent the wearer from being infected. There may be some question about different materials and designs, but the idea that masks can protect the wearer should not be controversial. And how that compares to it protecting a nearby person (masked, or unmasked?) is unknown, as far as I know. I’ve mentioned before, even with touching the mask in ways a healthcare professional would not, it is apparent that you convert some airborne particles to surface contamination by wearing a mask. Even if you touch the front of the mask, you still just have to wash your hands before eating or touching your face. And what was converted to surface contamination would otherwise have been inhaled. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/92 "2020-08-14T22:47:59Z")
Not so. But that doesn’t guarantee people will listen. ---
**Author:** ![agzem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@agzem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agzem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/93 "2020-08-15T02:20:43Z")
New York : 1,691 deaths/million USA : 518 Florida: 426 ---
**Author:** ![agzem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@agzem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agzem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/94 "2020-08-15T02:22:41Z")
Socialism doesn’t work because people didn’t do it right. Yes there is a theme here. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/95 "2020-08-15T10:32:01Z")
Right, and where was Florida when you made your earlier claim that they were doing well? How has Florida done in the past month compared to NY? You do remember than when NY got it, they were practically first and no one knew how transmissible it was yet. What’s Florida’s excuse? Anyway, total cases: Florida: 563k New York: 428k Cases per 100k: Florida: 2,623 New York: 2,205 And, Florida has benefited greatly from everything the early states (NY, NJ, CT) learned from how to treat the disease to prevent death. Deaths/million is a poor measure of how an area is handling the pandemic – it’s a good measure of how that area is treating people who get sick. Number of cases is a much better measure of how the area is handing it. NY handled it poorly at first – they made mistakes and didn’t have the benefit of other states learning what to do. They were breaking new ground on treatment and prevention every day. Florida had all that knowledge and still fucked it up. ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/96 "2020-08-15T12:08:54Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Florida had all that knowledge and still fucked it up. Or, that knowledge doesn’t make a bit of difference, which would be a reasonable explanation for the numbers you just gave. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/97 "2020-08-15T12:34:50Z")
Yup, it’s just a total coincidence that NY, NJ, CT, and the rest of the northeast have help things closes and cases have come way down, whereas Arizona, Florida, and California started reopening and their cases shot up. A total fucking coincidence. Reply to this if you want – I’m done having this conversation with you. You throw out one liners that you back with zero cites and statistics. For example, in that post, you say that it’s a reasonable explanation without saying why. Because a more reasonable explanation is that they opened too soon. So, have a great day and stay safe. ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/98 "2020-08-15T13:01:22Z")
It is indeed true that much of the Northeast – the heavily populated parts, at any rate – appear to have been affected similarly, as has the great bulk of Europe. I, for one, do not view either of things as coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![agzem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@agzem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agzem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/99 "2020-08-15T14:06:01Z")
Cases are irrelevant. Most are never hospitalized. Cuomo and DeBlasio’s complete incompetence is what spread this to other states. Florida did a great job **flattening the curve** which was the whole objective and they are far below average in deaths. > **[Cuomo Rejects Independent Investigation of N.Y. Nursing Home Deaths, Saying...](https://news.yahoo.com/cuomo-rejects-independent-investigation-n-183909198.html)** > > New York governor Andrew Cuomo rejected calls for an independent investigation into deaths of coronavirus patients in state nursing homes, saying such an investigation would be "political."The state has seen over 32,000 deaths from coronavirus, with... ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/100 "2020-08-15T14:13:00Z")
> [@agzem](#): > > New York : 1,691 deaths/million > USA : 518 > Florida: 426 If you’re going to attempt to make a point about the differences you see here. Please provide a hypothesis with a citation for why you see these differences. “Socialism” is being infantile. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910/101 "2020-08-15T14:14:09Z")
> [@agzem](#): > > Cuomo and DeBlasio’s complete incompetence is what spread this to other states. Florida did a great job **flattening the curve** which was the whole objective and they are far below average in deaths. Both of these statements are false. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-that-is-the-question/917910.md?page=6)