By Michael Lesner, Corvallis
Face masks are ineffective and are driven by politics, not science, in Washington D.C.
I wonder if the PIO who works at the Ravalli County Health Dept. wears a face mask for 8 hours a day while at work? Does he smell his mask at the end of the day? Any droplets? Does he replace it daily with a new one or sterilize it and reuse it? If face masks work as he states, then he is re-breathing most all the air he inhaled and exhaled into the mask. Is this not hazardous to your health? If the primary purpose of wearing one is to prevent you from spreading the virus, then what the h**l are you doing walking around in public anyway and not at Marcus Daly with a respirator stuck on your face?
Face masks can play a role in preventing the infection, but that role is limited in spreading the virus. “A healthy individual in a normal situation such does not need to wear a mask, as per CDC recommendations.” Also, the most effective mask is the N95, and they are not recommended for the general public.
The PIO needs to study the science better before making unproven recommendations to the public.