Masks (again).

[ddraig]

The TNT is recommending we all go back to wearing masks because of the uptick in respiratory illness this fall. Hmmm. I wonder if they even consider one reason people are getting sick may be that they used a mask in the past all the time and that reduced their immune system response? Is it possible that using a mask all the time weakens your immune system from functioning fully as it used to? Have researchers looked into the possibility that using a mask retards the functionality of your immune system?

[gil]

The TNT is recommending we all go back to wearing masks because of the uptick in respiratory illness this fall. Hmmm. I wonder if they even consider one reason people are getting sick may be that they used a mask in the past all the time and that reduced their immune system response? Is it possible that using a mask all the time weakens your immune system from functioning fully as it used to? Have researchers looked into the possibility that using a mask retards the functionality of your immune system?

Really good point, and thanks for posting. My question is a little different. Do immune systems need some continual "challenging" to stay strong? If someone has isolated for 3 years (masks not being relevant in the case of isolation) the immune system would have had its feet up (so to speak) with a pretty easy life.

But to your point, if someone has been wearing a mask (and if masks are effective) then the immune system would have been similarly protected.

I've always been a big believer in (as my mom used to say) eating a little dirt, not worrying about eating mold on bread or fruit, etc. I don't want to be overwhelmed by a deadly pathogen my immune system has not developed a defense to, but I don't want to live in a bubble either.

I'd love to see some scientific evidence (i.e., not just political posturing) on this.

[ddraig]

Masks are usually effective towards bacteriological invasions, but tend to be far less so against viruses. Fact is, the size of the "holes" in a mask can filter out most bacteria. When it comes to virus invasions, they are less effective. In the case of covid, I was told the virus was about half the size of the "holes" in fabric masks. So what we were filtering out was mostly cold bacteria. I didn't have a cold for three years when usually have one every two or three months while working with the "kiddies." Of course the isolation we experienced keeps both viruses and bacteria away. That and I used mostly N95 masks which filter out 95% of bacteria and viruses. Cloth masks were far less effective. What the TNT should have said was that masks will keep out cold bacteria, but get the N95 masks if you want to filter out most viruses and bacteria.

I'm not an expert, but I read a lot. And there is some medical evidence that our immune systems have been compromised over the past three years. Primarily because we haven't been "eating some dirt" over that span. It's a theory, but there may be some truth in it.

[D-train]