We may not have to wear masks, but COVID is still lurking out there
Masks have again entered the public spotlight with a Florida federal judge ruling prohibiting the CDC from issuing mask mandates regarding public transportation. Mid-flight passengers cheered, oblivious to the fact that the virus could care less. The ruling is not based upon public safety but on legal authority. However, the virus is above the law. It will continue to spread, mutate, and maim our population.
In my opinion, the ruling may have been prompted by the plethora of misinformation regarding the effectiveness of masks. First, it is true that diseases spread most effectively when airborne. But what is left out is that viruses only become airborne under specific circumstances. A dry virus just does not jump into the air and float around. Talking and singing propels the pathogen into the air encased in water droplets. These droplets have a size of 10 to 100 microns which is much greater than the 0.1 micron virus and can be effectively intercepted with a mask.
Second, although embraced by anti-scientists, Sweden is not a model to follow. Sweden downplayed the infectivity of children and the need for them to wear masks. However, serious allegations regarding lack of data transparency and not fully reporting of deaths have been levied in the journal Nature. Intercepted Swedish government emails acknowledged the ability of children to spread COVID-19 and “indicate(d) their aim to use children to spread the infection in society”, presumably to hasten herd immunity. It was also reported that “Many elderly people were administered morphine instead of oxygen despite available supplies, effectively ending their lives.”
Third, two-way masking is much better than one-way masking. Let’s say two people are in a room and one is wearing an N95 mask which clears 95% of viral particles. There would be about 1 chance in 20 of being exposed to any given viron. Now, if both individuals are wearing a mask the chance of being exposed is less than 1 in 400 (0.25%). If a person is immuno-suppressed or at high risk for severe COVID, a 1 chance in 20 at staying safe is not that great. 1 in 400 is much better. A study involving school children during the Delta surge found that there was 3.5 times less transmission if universal masking was implemented instead of optional masking. This is less of an improvement than the above hypothetical, but cloth masks are over 6 times less effective than a non-fitted N95 mask at preventing spread.
Finally, dosage counts. The virus just randomly floats around and hopes that by chance its attachment receptor will find a cell’s ACE2 protein. which allow viral entry. This is similar to playing a carnival ring toss game, where you throw a ring, trying to place it on a pin. Almost impossible to do. However, the virus has to do this blindfolded. Thus, if a single virus penetrates a mask, it is unlikely to cause an infection, but if someone is exposed to 1000s of viruses, that is another story. Some of our leaders have repeatedly articulated that masks do not work. However, they are referring to the wearer’s protection using a cloth mask. I wish these leaders would place as much emphasis on encouraging two-way masking using KN95 and N95 masks. Both of which are readily available on the internet. If total elimination is out of reach, slowing down viral spread is of paramount importance.
Currently, we are witnessing the emergence of a new and even more infectious variant in central New York, BA.2.12.1. Now is not the time to be promoting spread around the country with maskless airline travelers. Vaccines and natural immunity alone may markedly reduce hospitalizations and deaths, but they do not provide adequate prevention of infections and the ravages many have experienced with long covid. Thus, if you are at high risk for COVID-19 and everyone is not wearing a mask, I would not recommend using public transportation.
Kevin Kavanagh is the founder of HealthWatch USA.
