Anything less than the N95 mask is worthless. The actual virus is much smaller than the weave of the mask. Like a friend of mine said, it’s like putting up a chain link fence to keep out mosquitoes. It’s all basically feel good bullshit.
Masks Don't Work: A Review of Science Relevant to COVID-19 Social PolicyHere are key anchor points to the extensive scientific literature that establishes that wearing surgical masks and respirators (e.g., "N95") does not reduce the risk of contracting a verified illness:
Jacobs, J. L. et al. (2009) "Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: A randomized controlled trial", American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 37, Issue 5, 417 - 419. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19216002
N95-masked health-care workers (HCW) were significantly more likely to experience headaches. Face mask use in HCW was not demonstrated to provide benefit in terms of cold symptoms or getting colds.
More RCT studies at the link. The "weave" in N-95s is also not small enough to exclude viruses. It is designed to exclude bacteria from entering wounds being treated by medical personnel.
Actually, an N95 mask is not safe either. Experts are warning the public against wearing certain types of N95 face masks with front valves. They say the masks protect the people wearing them but do not stop virus droplets from escaping and infecting others. The masks are designed for construction workers to use to keep out dust and other particles. But the virus on any particle small enough get through the mask either way, will.
The fixation with the N95 was badly projected as the CDC doesn’t recognize the mask, they recognize the N95 respirator and even those have problems. They shouldn’t be worn by those with pulmonary problems, facial hair, or children facial sizes.
There is only one type of mask that is completely safe, if worn right: a self contained breathing apparatus, scba, which totally seals outside air out and provides oxygen in a system like in a hazmet suit. No outside air gets in.
Course you can’t eat, drink, or touch anything inside the suit, so that is not workable for a normal life. You can survive in a suit like this for as long as the oxygen container provides. An industrial scba unit will run a little over $2000 and have, at the longest, about 60 minutes of breathing time. But it’s safe if worn correctly. Extra O2 cylinders run about $1700 each for the 60 minute unit and around $700, at the cheapest, for the 30 minute. Most, a lot more.
Wanna be an astronaut? A live one? Whip out the old mastercard and go scba. You are guaranteed to outlive those with facial masks. If you can afford it and put up with it. It costs so much money to use this you could afford to build a bubble house and live there. Kind of like the old bomb shelters of the 60’s. Who gets to come in? And how long before you’ve gotta pull a Donner when the food runs out. This thing is going to be “milked” for a generation.
rwood
Masks are great for mowing the lawn and in dusty situations.
Especially if you have allergies.
Other than that.......
It's not. Click on my screen name. There is also now a CDC report about the salon, I'll have to add that.