Ep 69 – Mask Wearing & COVID-19 – Risks, Benefits & Requirements

The title says it all folks, Mask Wearing & COVID-19 - Risks,
Benefits & Requirements. What are risks and what are the OSHA
requirements? Listen in as we discuss the very relevant topic of
Covid-19 and the use of mask.  In this episode, we review some
literature from different sources assessing N95, P95, surgical
masks, and cloth/fabric/cotton masks.  We are releasing
today's episode early in light of recent requirements in the state
of Texas for masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the
recent increases seen in Texas. Governor Abbott Establishes
Statewide Face Covering Requirement, Issues Proclamation To Limit
Gatherings July 2, 2020 | Austin, Texas | Press Release
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-establishes-statewide-face-covering-requirement-issues-proclamation-to-limit-gatherings
We start by sharing a rant from an OSHA 10 & 30 certified
individual.  He outlines the lack of efficacy of each
category, N95, P95, surgical and cloth masks.  He ends with
the fact that not only are cloth masks not helpful, they could be
more harmful. Then, we go into an article from UC San Francisco
arguing for masks.  The men interviewed share theories as to
why the CDC released confusing information, first saying masks
should not be worn by the public, then saying they should. 
Later, they share evidence they believe supports the efficacy of
masks.  Check out what the FDA has to say about masks here.N95
Respirators, Surgical Masks, and Face Masks
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-and-face-masks
The next piece of literature we discuss is from an Oxford Journal
in 2010 where several different materials were tested to stop
penetration of particles .5-1 micrometers in size.  The
Coronavirus is .125 micrometers.  Sadly, the only mask that
had an incredibly low penetration rate was the N95, which should
not be worn by the public without a fit test and a pulmonary
function test.  The other types of masks tested were made of
sweatshirt material (fleece) and t-shirt material (cotton). 
Lastly, we discussed a graphic released by the CDC to help
understand the difference between a surgical mask and a N95
respirator.  By their specifications, neither is a good option
for Covid-19 protection. The surgical mask is intended to protect
the wearer from “large droplets, splashes, or sprays of bodily or
other hazardous fluids” and is used in an already sterile
environment.  It “does NOT provide the wearer with a reliable
level of protection from inhaling smaller airborne particles and is
not considered respiratory protection.”  The N95 does filter
out particles, but must be properly fitted and donned and discarded
immediately when, among many other things, it “becomes contaminated
with…respiratory or nasal secretions…” Our summary is that based on
the CDC’s graphic alone, two of the three mask options to protect
from Coronavirus are not beneficial.  The last option,
cloth/fabric/cotton, has been shown in other studies to have a high
(70%+) penetration rate of particles bigger than the COVID-19 virus
size, showing that’s not going to help either. As the author of the
OSHA rant closed, “If your mask gives you security to wear it, just
know it is a false sense of security.”
      Links to our reference articles
University of California San
Franciscohttps://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent
CDC Understanding the
Differencehttps://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/pdfs/UnderstandDifferenceInfographic-508.pdf
Oxford
Academichttps://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/54/7/789/202744 USA
Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/06/11/fact-check-n-95-filters-not-too-large-stop-covid-19-particles/5343537002/
And for the post that started it all: I am OSHA 10&30
certified. I know some of you are too.