Why Telling People They Don't Need Masks Backfired

[BigmanPigman]

By Zeynep Tufekci

"To help manage the shortage, the authorities sent a message that made them untrustworthy."

"As the pandemic rages on, there will be many difficult messages for the public. Unfortunately, the top-down conversation around masks has become a case study in how not to communicate with the public, especially now that the traditional gatekeepers like media and health authorities have much less control. The message became counterproductive and may have encouraged even more hoarding because it seemed as though authorities were shaping the message around managing the scarcity rather than confronting the reality of the situation."

"Research shows that during disasters, people can show strikingly altruistic behavior, but interventions by authorities can backfire if they fuel mistrust or treat the public as an adversary rather than people who will step up if treated with respect. Given that even homemade masks may work better than no masks, wearing them might be something to direct people to do while they stay at home more, as we all should."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/opinion/coronavirus-face-masks.html

[janterry]

1. I ordered a few from etsy

they are cotton and have room for a filter.

Even if the cotton isn't terribly effective as a filter (I suppose it isn't), it ensures I don't touch my face.

I wear glasses (so my eyes are protected). With the mask, that really is most of what I need.

[BigmanPigman]

2. I'm wearing an old one from 1999

but it's better than nothing and reminds me not to touch.

[Control-Z]

3. Thank you for this post, BigmanPigman.

I'm going to send this to my adult children. They are confused about masks as I have been too. It just never made sense to me that covering my nose and mouth with, anything really, wasn't blocking at least some of the virus were I to be standing next to someone who was infected and hacking away.

[Sloumeau]

4. People kept telling the general public that they did not need masks...

as others were saying that medical professionals desperately need masks...as if masks could only help medical professionals from getting sick...as if the germs would only go after medical professionals. Take a look at the three places where the curve was most flattened: South Korea, Taiwan, and China. You will see people wearing face masks everywhere. Now, take a look at where the curve is not flattening much at all, like in the U.S.A. and Italy, and you will see almost no one in the general public wearing face masks.

I think the masks did more than help offer people some degree of protection. They also helped remind people not to touch their faces and lessened the impact if they did touch their faces. If someone walks by you in the grocery store and sneezes or coughs, are you both better off if you are both wearing face masks? Of course, you are.

In order to try and get people to stop buying masks, so that there would be more for the medical professionals (because they did actually need the masks more than other people), people have been stretching the truth. The problem is if everyone had been told from day one that everyone should be wearing masks until this problem fades, then there would have been a heck of a lot more pressure on people like Donald Trump to put mask production into gear for everyone.

How many people have to get sick, and how many people have to die, before Donald Trump truly realizes that his half measures are not going to cut it?

[ouija]

5. This

Was such an obvious move by our slave masters that in February I immediately bought four r95 for the family and a spare.

[LisaL]

8. Lets just be clear-

we were told that masks don't help and in fact could hurt us. This appears to be the opposite of the truth. And yes, countries that managed to flatten the curve have a large percentage of general population using masks.

[appalachiablue]

6. Glad you posted this, I knew info posted about masks made no sense.

Nurses and children in Colorado wear masks during the 1918 Influenza.

[appalachiablue]

7. Consumer Reports article, March 4, CDC says NOT to use masks:

...What You Don't Need

-> Face masks: Although images of people wearing disposable face masks have become ubiquitous, the CDC is unequivocal in saying that it “does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.” The only people who need them are those who are sick or caring for others who are sick. (For more on why masks aren't necessary or effective when worn by the general public, see our previous article.)

https://www.consumerreports.org/coronavirus/covid-19-what-you-might-need-if-youre-quarantined-at-home/

[LisaL]

9. Yea, and our covid cases are going through the roof.

Cause somehow we don't need masks for a respiratory disease. I can wash my hands non-stop, if I am next to someone who is coughing or sneezing, how is that going to help me?

[appalachiablue]

10. All lies, what criminals. I knew that wasn't right- wash your hands

until they fall off, but no face mask cuz masks don't work for a respiratory plague. Frauds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor



- Plague doctor outfit from Germany, 17th century.

[appalachiablue]

11. **BP: this is such an impt. article I want to X-Post it in 'Health' if ok.

Many thanks again for this vital update!!

[BigmanPigman]

12. Sure...go ahead.