Masks don't work & are ineffective against microscopic virus transmission.

Question

Masks are ineffective against microscopic virus transmission, and believing otherwise reflects a lack of understanding.

Comments

This is false. Wearing masks has been confirmed to be effective by many credible sources such as Harvard Health, and John’s Hopkins Medicine. The N95 masks have reduced the spreading of viruses, especially COVID-19.

Answer 1

This claim is false. There is plenty of research proving that masks help fight against virus transmissions. According to the CDC, "Wearing a mask can help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission.", meaning that when harmful bacteria and illnesses are going around, having a mask creates a shield of protection against those viruses. Therefore, minimizing your chances of getting sick and being effective. 

Another article I found published by Mayo Clinic, an organization that focuses on clinical practices, states that "For people at high risk, the CDC suggests you wear a mask that provides you with the most protection possible", this is because they offer protection against any viruses in the air and slow down the transmission of these viruses. The website also lists the different kinds of masks that are effective and how to use them.

“Can Face Masks Protect against Covid-19?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 4 Nov. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449. 

Answer 2

The claim is that masks are ineffective at protecting against microscopic virus transmission. This claim is false. 

The first red flag is that the link that the claim maker provided takes you to a site called Bluesky. Blusky is a Twitter-style social media site that allows users to post whatever claims they want, factual or not. The page says "Post Not Found" which means it was either deleted or removed. This raises suspicion because a factual post would have no reason to be removed or deleted. 

Additionally, upon searching the claim into Google, an article by the National Library of Medicine comes up. It addresses claims like the one mentioned here, and uses empirical studies to discover that "masks have a disproportionately large protective effect and that more frequently wearing a mask provides super-linearly compounding protection."

The CDC, a government organization, also mentions how masks work to effectively protect against virus transmission. One article says "masks can help act as a filter to reduce the number of germs you breathe in or out." 

Based on the findings and research from the National Library of Medicine and the CDC, this claim is proven false. 

https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8499874/

Answer 3

This claim is false. Masks have been scientifically proven to be effective in preventing the spread of viruses by many widely respected health organizations such as the CDC, and WHO. 

One study that was done by the World Health Organization directly illustrates the effectiveness of face masks in preventing the spread of viruses. "Face masks reduced the chances of infection by more than 80 percent. With face masks, the chance of infection was 3.1 percent compared with 17.4 percent without a mask." This study was specifically conducted on the effectiveness of masks in preventing the transmission of Covid-19 but as Covid-19 is a microscopic virus this study directly addresses the effectiveness of masks in preventing the transmission of microscopic viruses. 

To make a mask the most effective in preventing the transmission of microscopic viruses masks must be correctly fitted to a persons face. There must be no gaps, and all exhaled and inhaled air must be filtered through the masks layers in order for it to be effective. If not correctly fitted masks effectiveness lessens as infected particles are released and inhaled without being filtered. 

Overall masks are effective in preventing the spread of microscopic viruses when fitted correctly to a persons face.

Sources - 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext

https://answers.childrenshospital.org/covid-19-mask-science/

Answer 4

This is false. The CDC says that "masks can help act as a filter to reduce the number of germs you breathe in or out". The World Health Organization supports this as well, stressing how important it was to wear masks at the height of the Covid pandemic, as it "reduces the number of infectious particles that may be inhaled or exhaled. The source linked below the claim was not credible either. It was posted on bsky, which appears to be an app similar to Twitter, where anyone can post any content they want to, without requiring any qualifications. This source therefore does not prove anything.

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zcluqhvkw7smmlpr2z2glkcf/post/3lc23yygmds2j

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-masks

https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html

Answer 5

This is a false claim. The post was made on Blue Sky, a site similar to formerly Twitter (X), where posts cand content is not regulated or fact checked, and anyone can post what they want. The CDC (Center for disease control) is a national health organization complied of renowned scientists, doctors, and researchers that says "...when worn by a person who has a virus, masks can reduce the chances they spread it to others. Masks can also protect wearers from inhaling germs; this type of protection typically comes from better fitting masks (for example, N95 or KN95 respirators)." However, I researched further as the CDC website has been modified to comply to Trump Administration Ecex. Orders. The World Health Organization has said "masks are one component of a package of prevention and control measures to limit the spread of COVID-19," falsifying this person's claim. I also took this claim with a grain of salt, as the second part has no academic or professional standing, proclaiming that those who would disagree reflect a lack of understanding. As Covid is mainly transmittable via air, these filters have been proven in various studies (CHC, WHO, etc.) that they help prevent transmission of particles and germs.

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-masks

https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html