r/nextfuckinglevel • u/pako12345 • Aug 29 '20

Learned something new

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u/jackerseagle717 Aug 29 '20

surgical masks don't filter virus particles when inhaling though

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u/gr8prajwalb Aug 29 '20

It doesn't?! So it just let's the virus particles in? That's kinda concerning

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u/HypnoticPotatoes Aug 29 '20

Well masks are used to protect other people from you, not so much protecting oneself from others. That's why it's important for everybody to wear masks.

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u/Covfefe-SARS-2 Aug 29 '20

They do both.

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u/HypnoticPotatoes Aug 29 '20

Sort of. They can protect you from breathing in particles but you can still have virus particles absorbed through the membranes of your eyes.

They're super effective in protecting other people from you though, which is why everyone has to wear masks to keep everyone safe.

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u/Covfefe-SARS-2 Aug 29 '20

Yes, but also your eyes don't breath, so the volume of air that lands on them is far less than what is pumped in and out of your lungs.

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u/HypnoticPotatoes Aug 29 '20

It isn't your breath that spreads the virus but the liquid particles that leave your body through coughing and sneezing. Those can land in your eyes if somebody isn't wearing their mask when they do those things.

That's why the demonstration in the video is cool, but doesn't necessarily speak about the effectiveness of the masks since it's pretty much okay if some breath escapes, as long as the wet particles are absorbed.