Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or runny nose. Recent study (in German) cultured 82 bacterial colonies & 4 mold (fungoid) colonies from a child’s masks after 8 hours of wear. Contamination through repeated use and improper doffing is possible. Study concluded that countries with mandatory masks had fewer deaths than countries without mandatory masks. Fabric masks can also be a form of cultural expression, encouraging public acceptance of protection measures in general. Chinese study with data taken from swabs on surfaces around the hospital (July 2020). Study was spurred by the H1N1 flu. In March 5, 2019 regarding the flu: “Masks are not usually recommended in non-healthcare settings; however, this guidance provides other strategies for limiting the spread of influenza viruses in the community”: *Cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, *Use tissues to contain respiratory secretions and, after use, to dispose of them in the nearest waste receptacle, and. An N95 does not filter exhaled air passing through the exhaust/exhalation valve (for easier breathing and less moisture inside the mask). Cloth masks must be 3 layers, plus adding static electricity by rubbing with rubber glove. Your tax-deductible contribution to the American Health Legal Foundation help continue the fight to stop the war on doctors and patients. Wash your hands ———- If you are sick, stay home! 70% had decreased PaO2 (from 100 to 92); 19% had hypoxemia (PaO2 <70); all patients had increased respiratory rate 16 to 18; chest discomfort (3 baseline patients to 11 patients); respiratory distress (1 baseline patient to 17 patients). From the New England Journal of Medicine, Universal Masking in the Covid-19 Era, July 9, 2020; “We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection. It is the saliva that fights bacteria. Avoid other folks; use common sense. 6% had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2; 29% were asymptomatic; 69% had not had a diagnosis of SARS-Co-V-2 infection. But later authors said, “A growing body of research shows that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is strongly correlated with the duration and intensity of contact: the risk of transmission among household members can be as high as 40%, whereas the risk of transmission from less intense and less sustained encounters is below 5%. the production of non-medical masks may offer a source of income for those able to manufacture masks within their communities. The wearer does not have glasses on and the eyes are a portal of entry. Non-HCW had 56%. There are no upcoming events at this time. This can create favourable conditions for microorganism to amplify; potential headache and/or breathing difficulties, depending on type of mask used; potential development of facial skin lesions, irritant dermatitis or worsening acne, when used frequently for long hours; a false sense of security, leading to potentially lower adherence to other critical preventive measures such as physical distancing and hand hygiene; poor compliance with mask wearing, in particular by young children; waste management issues; improper mask disposal leading to increased litter in public places, risk of contamination to street cleaners and environment hazard; difficulty communicating for deaf persons who rely on lip reading; disadvantages for or difficulty wearing them, especially for children, developmentally challenged persons, those with mental illness, elderly persons with cognitive impairment, those with asthma or chronic respiratory or breathing problems, those who have had facial trauma or recent oral maxillofacial surgery, and those living in hot and humid environments. The introduction, retraction and re-introduction of mandatory face masks in Austria had no influence at all on the infection rate. 21 studies, 8,686 participants: 13 case-control studies, 6 cluster randomized trials, and 2 cohort studies. The effectiveness of face masks is probably impacted by compliance issues in both the healthcare and community setting. Older age of the population, urbanization, obesity, and longer duration of the outbreak in a country were independently associated with higher country-wide per-capita coronavirus mortality. “The use of a mask alone is insufficient to provide an adequate level of protection or source control, and other personal and community level measures should also be adopted to suppress transmission of respiratory viruses.”. 246 participants. 6 studies of face mask use, both surgical masks and N-95 respirators in HCWs and community settings.