Masks now required in Oregon

[Oldgator73]

We wear masks because folks a whole heck of a lot smarter than us have said wearing them will curb the spread of the virus. We wear masks because it is required in the places we frequent; grocery stores, Sam?s, Costco, doctors offices, etc.
We wear masks because we want to protect those we come in contact with.
We have been told by competent medical professionals that it is the right thing to do. We will continue to wear masks until we are told it is okay not to.

 

[SeilerBird]

A mask is most effective for people who have contracted the virus but do not show symptoms yet. They will be spreading the virus unless they wear a mask.

 

[Tom]

Last evening we were invited to celebrate the 4th with some friends and a few of their friends. Preferring to be extra careful in protecting others, I chose to wear a custom mask.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I too appreciate all who are wearing masks, but a note of correction, unless the mask is equipped with filtration, it only protect others should the mask wearer be a carrier of COVID-19.  We have been in Oregon for a few months now and since the outbreak have been wearing masks when out shopping or in public where social distancing is not possible.  We were happy to hear the governor made mask wearing in public mandatory as we have been alarmed in our travels to see the large number of people not wearing masks.

Mask wearing by the general public is specifically to protect others.

Could you clarify ?equipped with filtration??
Thanks.

Some people think N95 masks are good for the general public but they are designed for specific circumstances.
They filter incoming air for medical people exposed to infections (but the medical people are assumed not infected) and have a valve without filtration for exhaust air. With COVID-19, you may be contagious and not know it and an N95 won?t help reduce spreading.

 

[ChasA]

Looks like a regular surgical mask to me. ;D

 

[NY_Dutch]

Mask wearing by the general public is specifically to protect others.

Could you clarify ?equipped with filtration??
Thanks.

Some people think N95 masks are good for the general public but they are designed for specific circumstances.
They filter incoming air for medical people exposed to infections (but the medical people are assumed not infected) and have a valve without filtration for exhaust air. With COVID-19, you may be contagious and not know it and an N95 won?t help reduce spreading.

There are different styles of N95 masks intended for different uses. The masks with exhale valves are intended for use by workers in dusty environments rather than medical use where the protection needs to work both ways.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/certain-type-n95-mask-harm-covid19-spread

 

[chuckbear]

  With COVID-19, you may be contagious and not know it and an N95 won?t help reduce spreading.

My god, the misinformation just never ends. From the CDC website specifically for the N95 mask..."The role of facemasks is for patient source control, to prevent contamination of the surrounding area when a person coughs or sneezes.  Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should wear a facemask until they are isolated in a hospital or at home. The patient does not need to wear a facemask while isolated." Unless you really have some expertise, please make sure you are letting everyone know that this is your opinion and not factual. Chuck

 

[Robert K]

My god, the misinformation just never ends. From the CDC website specifically for the N95 mask..."The role of facemasks is for patient source control, to prevent contamination of the surrounding area when a person coughs or sneezes.  Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should wear a facemask until they are isolated in a hospital or at home. The patient does not need to wear a facemask while isolated." Unless you really have some expertise, please make sure you are letting everyone know that this is your opinion and not factual. Chuck

Now you are confusing the issue they are respirator masks or masks.
A face shield is a plastic screen you wear in front of your face

 

[NY_Dutch]

Maybe it would help to note that "N95" is a mask filtration standard, not a mask design standard. The intended mask use determines the design criteria such as whether it has an exhale valve or not.

 

[chuckbear]

Now you are confusing the issue they are respirator masks or masks.
A face shield is a plastic screen you wear in front of your face

Huh???? Who said anything about face shields? Chuck

 

[chuckbear]

I have N95 masks that I bought at Lowes. These are certainly different than those used by hospital staff. But still useful in helping to spread the virus. Chuck

 

[UTTransplant]

There is always someone who can point to a source that agrees with what they want to believe. Facts don?t really matter to such people, and you won?t be able to change their minds. I prefer to operate based on what the most experienced, most widely peer reviewed studies show, particularly meta studies (studies of studies) since the bias in an individual study generally gets washed out in the volume. I recommend https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext. It is a meta study of 172 studies in 16 countries, and published in a respected peer viewed journal. The summary is useful, while the rest of the article is basically a detailed statistical analysis, suitable mostly for math geeks like me. Note a N95 ?mask? is more accurately called a ?respirator?. They come in various sizes, and to be effective it must be fitted to the individual. My daughter wears one for almost all of her 12 hour nursing shifts.

Conclusion: ?The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis support physical distancing of 1 m or more and provide quantitative estimates for models and contact tracing to inform policy. Optimum use of face masks, respirators, and eye protection in public and health-care settings should be informed by these findings and contextual factors.?

 

[Joezeppy]

It's a long time till November. Let's all watch the mass media and see what the numbers do with the increased mask use and the new rounds of closings, along with the ever increasing testing. Chuckbear, Doc Roads, are you assuming I am anti mask and thus spreading the virus? Interesting assumptions.

I don't know what your political views are so I'm not sure what you feel November (a.k.a. the next election) has to do with the spread (or lack thereof) the virus has to do with anything. Do you care to expand on your statement?

 

[Gizmo]

Mask wearing by the general public is specifically to protect others.

Could you clarify ?equipped with filtration??
Thanks.

Some people think N95 masks are good for the general public but they are designed for specific circumstances.
They filter incoming air for medical people exposed to infections (but the medical people are assumed not infected) and have a valve without filtration for exhaust air. With COVID-19, you may be contagious and not know it and an N95 won?t help reduce spreading.

N95 masks are one that protect the wearer as well as those the wearer may be in contact with.  They are used by medical professionals but I have seen a few people in public wearing them.  Then there is some kind of synthetic liner that can be sewn into a mask which offers some but not complete protection for the wearer.  Finally, my wife (a An RN) just saw an ad for a company making masks that have some sort of filter insert that is supposed to protect the wearer.  She is currently investigating to determine if true.  Bottom line standard surgical masks and cloth masks people are making or can be purchased will only protect others from a wearer who may be carrying the virus. 

 

[Tom and Margi]

Enough guys!  I posted a simple message alerting west coast travelers that requirements had changed and Oregon was now requiring masks be worn under certain conditions.  That was intended to be a travel alert.

If you want to debate which mask works, which doesn't, etc. etc. etc., please start your own topic so that people wanting to review Oregon's requirements for people entering our state don't have to suffer through endless discussions that most of us have already read on various other venues.

 

[Rene T]

)

 

[Trivet]

Businesses were closed - the virus spread anyway.

Most businesses were closed.  The ones that were open provided an opportunity for the virus to spread.  And once they opened back up, the virus started spreading faster.

People were forced to stay inside their homes - the virus spread anyway.

Many people stayed inside their homes.  But essential employees went to work.  People went to grocery and hardware stores and take-out restaurants, and delivery drivers went to all of these places.  People exercised outdoors or walked their dogs.  All of them provided a way for the virus to spread.  And once stay-at-home orders were lifted, the virus started spreading faster.

Social distancing was observed - the virus spread anyway.

Social distancing was observed only to the extent practicable, which means not perfectly, which provided a way for the virus to spread.  And now that people are gathering in bigger groups and not being as mindful of social distancing, the virus is spreading faster.

Now people are forced or asked to wear masks - and yes, the virus is spreading anyway.

Not everyone complies with the recommendations/mandates.  And those who do all too often don't wear the mask properly.

We think we have it so hard in the U.S., but it's peanuts compared to many countries.  Countries that, not coincidentally, did a better job of handling the virus, with their actual lockdowns.

 

[chuckbear]

?To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.? ?Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

Chuck

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A very thoughtful response, Trivet. Thank you.

I look at the measures measures that were so imperfectly employed and marvel that they worked as well as they did.  The combination of relaxed procedures and willful disobedience, however, put us back on the downward spiral.