Technology7 mins ago
Matt Hancock Gave It A Miss Today
I wonder why, may be he didn't want to be the one to advise the wearing of face masks after months of ignoring them, unlike other countries. Its taken a world record death rate for the penny to drop. Sheesh.
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The vast majority of the evidence shows that social distancing (alone) reduces the transmission rate of Covid-19 by around 75%.
The evidence also seems to show that when social distancing is NOT maintained (possibly when it's impossible to do so, as on a crowder Tube train), wearing a face covering reduces the transmission rate of Covid-19 by no more than 15% at the very most. Wearing a face covering when social distancing IS maintained seems to add VERY little, if anything at all, to a reduction in the transmission rate of Covid-19. (It might also lead some people into a false sense of security, making them think that they need to attribute less importance to maintaining social distancing).
So there was no reason to suggest that wearing face coverings would help in the reduction in the transmission of Covid-19 while social distancing could, and should, have been maintained. It's only now (when some people will find that they can't remain two metres away from others, as when they have to use publuic transport to return to work) that it makes any sense to advise the wearing of face coverings.
Further the new advice does NOT refer to 'face masks' (as mentioned in your post), TC44. It refers only to 'face coverings'. The official advice (both from the WHO and from the Government) remains that, to avoid shortages of PPE occurring for key workers, purpose-made face masks should ONLY be worn by those who're in contact with people who're exhibiting the symptoms of Covid-19 and by certain other health workers. Everyone else should be using a suitable 'face covering', such as a scarf, when travelling on public transport.
The evidence also seems to show that when social distancing is NOT maintained (possibly when it's impossible to do so, as on a crowder Tube train), wearing a face covering reduces the transmission rate of Covid-19 by no more than 15% at the very most. Wearing a face covering when social distancing IS maintained seems to add VERY little, if anything at all, to a reduction in the transmission rate of Covid-19. (It might also lead some people into a false sense of security, making them think that they need to attribute less importance to maintaining social distancing).
So there was no reason to suggest that wearing face coverings would help in the reduction in the transmission of Covid-19 while social distancing could, and should, have been maintained. It's only now (when some people will find that they can't remain two metres away from others, as when they have to use publuic transport to return to work) that it makes any sense to advise the wearing of face coverings.
Further the new advice does NOT refer to 'face masks' (as mentioned in your post), TC44. It refers only to 'face coverings'. The official advice (both from the WHO and from the Government) remains that, to avoid shortages of PPE occurring for key workers, purpose-made face masks should ONLY be worn by those who're in contact with people who're exhibiting the symptoms of Covid-19 and by certain other health workers. Everyone else should be using a suitable 'face covering', such as a scarf, when travelling on public transport.
You just don't understand the statistics do you, TC44?
During the time when maintaining social distancing was possible for the vast majority of people the advices ran along these lines:
"1. Don't stand next to someone while you alone are wearing a face mask, as that won't reduce the risk of YOU contracting Covid-19 at all; it will only reduce his/her risk of contracting it by no more than 15%.
2. Don't stand next to someone while you're BOTH wearing face masks, as that will only reduce the risk for each of you of contracting Covid-19 by no more 15%.
3. Instead, step away from the other person by a distance of 2 metres. That will reduce the risk of Covid-19 being transmitted (in either direction) by around 75%. Now that you're there though, you might as well take those ruddy masks off as, at that distance, they add NOTHING AT ALL to the risk reduction factor"
I repeat that masks/coverings only have any value at all (and that's very limited anyway) when social distancing can't be maintained, which is why they're now to be required on public transport.
During the time when maintaining social distancing was possible for the vast majority of people the advices ran along these lines:
"1. Don't stand next to someone while you alone are wearing a face mask, as that won't reduce the risk of YOU contracting Covid-19 at all; it will only reduce his/her risk of contracting it by no more than 15%.
2. Don't stand next to someone while you're BOTH wearing face masks, as that will only reduce the risk for each of you of contracting Covid-19 by no more 15%.
3. Instead, step away from the other person by a distance of 2 metres. That will reduce the risk of Covid-19 being transmitted (in either direction) by around 75%. Now that you're there though, you might as well take those ruddy masks off as, at that distance, they add NOTHING AT ALL to the risk reduction factor"
I repeat that masks/coverings only have any value at all (and that's very limited anyway) when social distancing can't be maintained, which is why they're now to be required on public transport.
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