Do this test I challenged my whole family at thanksgiving which is full of rabid antimaskers.
First set a burning candle 2 meters away the recommended CDC distance that’s just over 6 feet for scientifically illiterate Mericans. Now from that distance blow the candle out. The average person with normal lung capacity will be able to blowout with ease. Now take a single layer of cotton I used the thin nearly see.through napkins we had been using and put it over your nose and mouth tie behind the ears. Now blow I mean BLOW as hard as you can from the same 2 meters I guarantee you won’t be able to do it I won 200 bucks on the spot from two uncles who were convinced they had manly enough lungs to do it. Now keep moving closer half a meter at a time till you can blow that candle out. My two uncles who both are massive men had to get within 30cm to blow it out. The goal of the mask was never repeat after ne NEVER to filter incoming particles for that you need a biological rated P100 filter system. The goal which this.simple test shows is to keep your breath and airflow and consequently all your mouth funk close to your face and not in the air. This test accurately shows that even a simple cloth keeps personal airflow at 30cm or less and without ay 2+ meters that’s just physics and easily proven. Its a straw man argument to whine about particles and size the cloth was never ment to stop them and was never ment to protect the wearer it keeps their funk on their face nothing more nothing less. Personally I wear a biological weapons rated 40mm NATO rated filter mask with eye protection when out and I know with third party testing proof that the filters are keeping bacteria and viruses out. The mask in 2014 was $350 and filters were $140 a pair in 2014 you get what you pay for. I know I’m a walking immune as long as my filters are not clogged up they are so tight even “clear” air eventually plugs them after 8 hours of use. For a trip to the store or bank I just walk by people knowing I’m 99.997% safe from them and thats good enough for me.
ROFLMAO !!!! Turkey Day Pocket Change. 😆 I’ll see if I can sucker any one with Your Test.
Thank You!!!
Not to disagree with the main point of your post — that surgical masks and such are intended to reduce exhaled (or sneezed or coughed) virus transmission, but... Holey G’Moley. I’m a little smaller than average male in (I think) probably slightly better than average respiratory shape, mid-60’s, and I can’t blow out a candle (at least not one with a properly functioning wick) at 1 meter, much less two. I can make the flame dance pretty well at 1 meter, and a surgical mask cuts that distance relatively much as you say, but, dang! You have machined lips or something?
Well, granted, I can’t whistle worth a darn, either. (Eye roll.)
Anyway, I think the main purpose of a surgical mask is more to prevent droplets or (ahem) semi-solid material from being projected very far, as opposed to breath (even sneezed or coughed air movement) carrying “floaters”. Virions expelled are almost all going to initially be in significant droplets (or “ahem”). As I mentioned above there are vids on YouTube showing the effectiveness of masks on outgoing droplets. The surgical masks tested do well - somebody knows what they are doing. :-)
Thank you for such an intelligent yet understandable answer.