To Mask or not to two - Mask Megathread cont.

A very dubious argument, especially when you consider the immune system boost from covid and flu vaccines.

If you're going to claim that masks somehow weaken the immune system, especially in an adult who has already encountered many respiratory viruses already, do you have anything to back it up?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2020/05/17/no-wearing-a-mask-to-protect-against-covid-19-coronavirus-will-not-weaken-your-immune-system/?sh=37879a407b88

I think the argument for children might be different re: exposures, but an adult should have clocked up enough previous virus battles & vaccinations.

And as the article notes, your immune system isn't on a total holiday even when masked.

Re: outdoor masking

No, except maybe at events where people could be static for a long time, and in a sheltered outdoor space. I don't see enforcement happening though, but that would be the outdoor space where in theory there's a transmission risk for me.

You don't get too many 'dead calm' days in Ireland, I wonder if that's a factor?

In the hot humid dead calm weather you can get in parts of Spain, not sure how much difference indoors v outdoors there would be in terms of airflow.

I forgot about the UV but I suppose you're not always in the sun, often shaded, can still get that 'dead air'.

What in the world do you mean by "covid doesn't really effect kids"? Please explain.

Children should be wearing them to reduce risk for others and themselves.

Your living in Spain, so throw us the Spanish stats for kids. Dead. ICU viisits. Hospitalistations. Long COVID. Orphaned. or does COVID not really effect kids?

We've nearly 2000 cases a day, that's widespread community transmission.

The R number should start coming down between the number of fully vaccinated & the rest getting infected. You don't need 100% coverage, but the R number and cases are too high right now.

Yes, ventilation helps reduce risk in the classroom but does very little in close contact situations. Irish primary school classrooms have the most students per room in Europe, SFA room to social distance, hence masks to reduce risk.

To understand more about how masks function there is a PART1 to this thread.

As oppose to big kids wearing masks correctly at all times? Kids learn from their peers, period. Sadly an Anti-mask attitude took root early on and we are still paying the price for it.

It does not come down to luck that masks were not mandated for children in primary school, it comes down to the decision making of the Expert Advisory Group EAG and how HIQA interrupts that advice. So far the decision making has been deeply flawed and based on excuses and not reason.

Take for example your point that "kids would not wear masks correctly at all times". The EAG cited that excuse for a period in time but it was found out that they were using pre COVID studies based on surgical masks. I don't know what size these SM's were but when a mask fits properly, ie seals to the face and stays sealed to the face when talking, walking, moving the head etc very little if any fidgeting occurs, ie they are worn correctly at all times.

Childrens masks have come on leaps and bounds since COVID, so that take is out of step.

just 1 example

Like most of these studies, they're talking about "under a perfect fit condition" (as in laboratory conditions and not the actual real world experience for the majority of people) and particle sizes between 0.3-1 μm which is larger than many virus particles.