{"id":6941,"date":"2020-04-02T09:19:14","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T14:19:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/jenniferfitz\/?p=6941"},"modified":"2020-04-02T09:19:14","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T14:19:14","slug":"public-health-logic-vs-masksforall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jenniferfitz\/2020\/04\/public-health-logic-vs-masksforall\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Health Logic vs. #MasksForAll"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I\u2019m not an epidemiologist, but I do sometimes teach logic.\u00a0 So check out this bit of public health polemic from CIDRAP<\/a>:<\/p>\n

There is some evidence that surgical masks can be effective at reducing overall particle emission from patients who have multidrug-resistant tuberculosis,36<\/sup>\u00a0cystic fibrosis,34<\/sup>\u00a0and influenza.33<\/sup>\u00a0The latter found surgical masks decreased emission of large particles (larger than 5 \u00b5m) by 25-fold and small particles by threefold from flu-infected patients.33<\/sup>\u00a0Sung37<\/sup>\u00a0found a 43% reduction in respiratory viral infections in stem-cell patients when everyone, including patients, visitors, and healthcare workers, wore surgical masks.<\/p>\n

In sum, wearing surgical masks in households appears to have very little impact on transmission of respiratory disease.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I suppose it all depends on what your definition of \u201cvery little\u201d is.\u00a0 43% reduction in viral respiratory infections?\u00a0 Sure, I\u2019d like a little of that.<\/p>\n

If there were an anti-viral pill that cut infection rates by 25% or 30% or 45%, with virtually no side effects, no drug interactions, available in generic at minimal cost . . . you\u2019d be taking it every day.\u00a0 They\u2019d probably put it in the drinking water.<\/p>\n

If it were a shot and you refused to give it to your newborn, you\u2019d receive stern warnings and a note in your chart that you\u2019d gone AMA.\u00a0 If you persisted in your refusal, your children would be banned from public schools.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

That\u2019s surgical masks, of course, which are in short supply and therefore logic tells us they\u00a0should<\/em> be saved for the situations where they are needed most.\u00a0 Your homemade cloth mask is less effective.\u00a0 And yet, weirdly, I\u2019ve never been to a doctor\u2019s office where the flu-prevention poster says\u00a0Covering your cough does nothing.\u00a0 Don\u2019t bother.<\/em><\/p>\n

Who are these physicians who would like to come to my house right now, as I\u2019m sitting here recovering from a wicked sore throat and intermittent aches and a nasty headache yesterday, all of it well above-and-beyond even this year\u2019s steady allergies, but those allergies are still making my nose run something amusing . . . who are these doctors who want to come sit with me while I sneeze on them and chat at them and would seriously say, \u201cNo, don\u2019t bother covering your face, it doesn\u2019t do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

But if it\u2019s a Walmart employee, then that\u2019s okay?<\/p>\n

I think not.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say that widespread use of homemade and improvised masks only cuts the spread of COVID-19 by 10%.<\/p>\n

Is there an ER doctor out there who doesn\u2019t want to cut caseload by 10%?\u00a0 Is there an ICU nurse thinking, \u201cNah, 10% few patients?\u00a0 Why would I care about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

If our politicians invested a billion dollars in a spending program that cut spread of the disease by 10%, they\u2019d be touting it election cycle after election cycle for the remainder of their career.\u00a0 But if it can be accomplished for free using materials you have sitting around your house?<\/p>\n

Never mind.\u00a0 Not worth it.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

There is some evidence that piling on the \u201cnot very effective\u201d public health measures can save lives.\u00a0Here\u2019s a discussion of preliminary evidence that lowering the amount of virus one is exposed to can reduce severity of the disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a discussion for the lay audience on the challenge of transmission among asymptomatic and minimally-symptomatic persons<\/a>, which is more of a thing for COVID-19 than for other viruses.<\/p>\n

Use your logic skills: If washing hands helps a little, and covering your cough helps a little, and keeping six feet away helps a little . . . then all three combined helps a little more.\u00a0 Yes?\u00a0 Yes.<\/p>\n

***
\nY\u2019all.\u00a0 Have mercy on the doctors and nurses who are\u00a0dying<\/em> from exposure to this virus.<\/p>\n

Stay home when you reasonably can.<\/p>\n

Wash your hands.<\/p>\n

Use physical distancing, barriers, minimal contact, and disinfecting to make work life safer.<\/p>\n

Favor outdoor over indoor meeting locations.<\/p>\n

Cover your mouth and nose.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m gonna say it now, even though I\u2019m not hearing it yet: Put on whatever glasses you have on hand and thereby reduce the number of droplets hitting your eyes.<\/p>\n

While we\u2019re at it . . . Eat as nutritiously as you can, get exercise, and generally take care of yourself.<\/p>\n

Slow. it. down.<\/p>\n

\"File:English<\/p>\n

Artwork: A poster explaining that covering your face when you cough or sneeze is helpful.\u00a0 (Wikimedia, Public Domain<\/a>). But apparently the droplets of moisture that come out of your mouth and nose when you talk or breathe can be spewed freely and that\u2019s fine?\u00a0 Or is covering your cough just a big fat lie?\u00a0 I think not.\u00a0 Every little bit helps. <\/em><\/p>\n

Cover it up . . . slow it down.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m not an epidemiologist, but I do sometimes teach logic.\u00a0 So check out this bit of public health polemic from CIDRAP: There is some evidence that surgical masks can be effective at reducing overall particle emission from patients who have multidrug-resistant tuberculosis,36\u00a0cystic fibrosis,34\u00a0and influenza.33\u00a0The latter found surgical masks decreased emission of large particles (larger than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1209,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[418,216,110],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-facepalm","category-its-all-catholic","category-rant-o-rama"],"yoast_head":"\nPublic Health Logic vs. #MasksForAll<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I'm not an epidemiologist, but I do sometimes teach logic.\u00a0 So check out this bit of 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