Yesterday, a virulently pro-Trumpist Manly Dude tweeted out a big photo of himself wearing a high-quality, non-face-koozie TRUMP 2020 mask ‘to trigger the libs’. That tweet has since disappeared, although I don’t know if it’s because the Trump campaign made a trademark complaint, or because ten thousand vulgar liberals & never-trumpists made fun of him…
Honestly, if this is how it gets these toddlers to wear a mask, fine. I mean, this is like teaching them to wear underwear by putting Spider-Man on it, but if it works, it works. https://t.co/wFfP0kn5rR
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 16, 2020
Virtually the entire population of Hong Kong wore masks voluntarily from the beginning. They have had four COVID deaths. From @LATstevelopez: https://t.co/QNDkyrQ1oi
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 18, 2020
It's important not just to remember this (the incorrect guidance on masks) but to study and understand it. When I wrote my "masks work" op-ed on March 17 for the New York Times, I honestly thought I was likely ending my career as a public writer. https://t.co/bRfeqG49BR
— zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) May 17, 2020
Why didn't we listen to the medical experts in Asia? Why was it so hard to communicate that masks are a public good (they protect others and collectively protect all of us) in a pandemic for a respiratory disease? And how did we move so fast to scolding, forgetting what happened?
— zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) May 17, 2020
No makeup? No pantsuit? No problem.
I’ve got the must-have accessory for spring.
I’m wearing a mask (and voting!) for my country, my community, and my grandchildren. #MaskingForAFriend @PandemicAction pic.twitter.com/68t8us5K1D
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 2, 2020
How face masks are becoming fashionable https://t.co/YHQWi16ba7
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 16, 2020
I want to take a moment to applaud all of you who are continuing to practice social distancing, who are wearing masks and helping stop the spread of Covid. While the idiots bluster and blow it, you are HOT, SMART and AWESOME
— Liz Phair (@PhizLair) May 17, 2020
HumboldtBlue
As long as Liz Phair thinks I’m a hottie … wait.
Elizabelle
Hong Kong had the wakeup call with SARS. They get it.
Our homegrown yahoos? Le sigh.
debbie
Or, as was the case with my youngest nephew, toss a few Cheerios in the toilet.
debbie
@Elizabelle:
Four deaths is really very impressive.
Catherine D.
I want a VOTE mask!
Speaking of voting, I got my NYS June primary absentee ballot application today, and the school board/budget votes will be by mail as well.
JPL
trump takes a drug that has numerous side effects but won’t wear a mask which is proven to help..
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
@debbie: And … teach him to dive for them? I am very confused.
Elizabelle
@debbie: Almost unbelievable.
In retrospect, it is surprising US doctors were not recommending masks from the get go. What is the harm?
Other than destroying men’s gonads, etc.?
charluckles
That Trump press conference and the photos from the Pence unmasked Mayo tour are going to be important anecdotes when historians attempt to explain this pandemic.
Just those few moments of idiocy from Trump will almost certainly end up costing thousands of American lives.
Interesting times.
WhatsMyNym
@Catherine D.:
Here are some on Etsy.
NotMax
@debbie
Alpha Bits (do they still make those?) are more fun.
:)
noncarborundum
@JPL:
The mask mostly protects other people, not you. Trump’s concern for other people is submicroscopic if it exists at all.
LeftCoastYankee
@HumboldtBlue:
Ms. Phair is a badass.
JPL
When folks in the white house started testing positive, trump panicked and started taking meds.. I wonder how many in the white house tested positive. hmm
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Elizabelle:
They thought it would provide a false sense of security and not provide any real protection to the wearer anyway. Also, wearing face masks is against western social norms
While a surgical mask isn’t an N95 respirator, it doesn provide some protection. Hell, for droplet precautions at my clinical sites, all we were wore were surgical masks. However, studies have shown they become less effective after 15-20 mins as moisture builds up from the wearer’s breathe
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@noncarborundum:
Not entirely true. Surgical masks have been found to block 50-75% of particles in the size range of droplets that the virus would be in. They do provide some protection, but other social distancing measures still need to be followed
debbie
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:
To help him improve his aim. Or so I was told.
MomSense
@JPL:
I’d like to know where Pence is. He has disappeared ever since his spokesperson tested positive.
HumboldtBlue
@LeftCoastYankee:
I wholeheartedly agree. There’s a bit of jocularity at play there, Father Francis Mulcahy type jocularity.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@JPL:
That’s exactly why you see WH officials during the press briefings wearing masks now around Trump. It had to happen closer to home before Trump would start taking it seriously, if only to save his own life
I’m surprised the WH didn’t try harder to hide this
NotMax
@MomSense
Not so. He’s been seen, even been seen masked.
JPL
@MomSense: Shortly after, he was at the White House, but I don’t think he’s been around since then.. hmmm
debbie
@HumboldtBlue:
My favorite MASH scene!
JPL
@MomSense: Just found this.. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to visit a nursing home in Orlando and deliver personal protective equipment on Wednesday
Mai naem mobile
I want one of those masks with the tiny little dicks sized so that if somebody can figure put they are dicks they’re < 6 ft away except I want the tiny little dicks peeing on tr*mp signs on the fabric as well. Ofcourse I wouldn’t wear it because I am chickenshit and I live in a gun toting for anything state.
PaulWartenberg
I have to shop for Big&Tall – yes, I am festively plump – and even the mens store I use Destination XL (formerly Casual Male) has COVID masks for sale. There was a Buy-Three-Half-Off deal.
There is nothing macho about going maskless. It’s not like Chuck Norris is gonna revoke my MAN CARD if I’m wearing a mask with pineapple patterns on it.
Mai naem mobile
@JPL: they really enjoy Kimmel making fun of them don’t they?
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@JPL:
Hopefully that POS will actually be wearing some PPE. Last thing the poor nursing home residents need is to be wiped out because of this idiot
Capri
Last Saturday, for the first time, there were many more masked than unmasked shoppers at my grocery store. Human’s desire to look like every one else might get get folks wearing masks even if nothing else will. If it worked for crocs….
LeftCoastYankee
@HumboldtBlue:
Ah, that Jocularity. Hmmm… perhaps I should “re-discover” some MASH re-runs.
It would take a little longer than when I recently “re-discovered” Liz Phair on the green music streaming app thingy.
FWIW I think Liz would make Father Mulcahy blush.
Jeffro
@HumboldtBlue: I had the same thought.
Liz says “jump”, I say “how high?”
Jeffro
@JPL: where IS Pence, anyway?
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Mai naem mobile:
I think they don’t care what people like Kimmel say about them. That all that matters is that they are the ones in power and will make their own reality. I don’t think this will ultimately work, but that’s probably their thinking
seefleur
I’d love to know which masks sell better – the ones that encourage”vote blue” or the one’s supporting the GOP. That might be an interesting study for someone out there in political analysis land…
Spanky
I still want a mask that looks like Daffy Duck’s bill.
Jeffro
@seefleur: I wonder why Parscale didn’t see the problem in wearing a pro-trumpov mask…he thought he was “triggering libs”…the real question is, why is he opening defying the Mango Menace like that?
bluehill
Interesting contrast to what’s going on here. Trump could’ve been the second coming of GWB, but then he wouldn’t be Trump. Mixed blessing.
CaseyL
I think it was the individual crafters (quilters, costumers, clothing makers), frantically turning masks as fast as they could on their home sewing machines, that really gave the push to “mask as fashion accessory.”
I love the idea that it happened that way: people who were just trying to help, who happened to be crafters, and so the materials they had on hand were beautiful fabrics and colorful elastics. And, being crafters, no matter how fast they worked, it was (and is) still important to them that the final item be excellent to look at as well as functional.
Now you can find masks in just about any color, pattern or design you like. I’ve gotten a few for myself and some for Mom. Depending on how long we need to be masked, it might become the hot accessory for the holidays.
Ugly Christmas masks to go with the traditional ugly Christmas sweaters!
Matt McIrvin
@Elizabelle: They were worried about the general public hoarding medical protective equipment, which was in short supply. “Don’t hoard masks” quickly got muddled to “don’t wear masks”.
Meanwhile, I remember a lot of doctors judging homemade cloth masks as medical protective equipment, according to their own training–and of course they would be poor to useless as such, since that’s not the point of them.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Matt McIrvin:
That as well. Honestly though, aren’t the masks that you could buy in stores from a different supply chain than the ones made for medical facilities? At the very least, you would think healthcare providers get first dibs anyway, pandemic or no. Buying masks from the supermarket pharmacy shouldn’t affect the PPE supply for HPs
AliceBlue
@CaseyL: There’s a swimwear designer in Italy who is making Trikinis–two piece swimsuits with matching masks. She said she mentioned the idea to her family as a joke, but now orders are pouring in.
gene108
@noncarborundum:
The mask also protects you.
There’s a barrier between you and the outside air, which reduces the particulates you inhale.
It’s not 100% effective at stopping all airborne particulates, but it’s like 70% to 80% more effective in stopping them, than wearing nothing.
I honestly think, in the USA, at least, part of the reason they discouraged individuals from wearing masks is because of PPE shortages at hospitals and for first responders. They didn’t want civilians grabbing masks that were desperately needed for hospitals.
Elizabelle
@Matt McIrvin: That’s right. How soon I forgot that part of the issue.
NotMax
@PaulWartenberg
Eggplants or go home.
:)
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@gene108:
But that doesn’t make much sense. Wouldn’t hospitals and the like have first priority for PPE anyway over retail stores?
Baud
Masks are like condoms for the face.
rikyrah
Cause it came from NON-WHITE PEOPLE.
I’M JUST SAYING….
Dan B
@debbie: Vietnam, population 96 million has had 324 cases and ZERO deaths!
It never gets mentioned. They also had SARS.
LeftCoastYankee
@Baud:
Can we convince certain folks that airtight latex mask are the ultimate patriotism?
Ruckus
@Capri:
I responded on here to a comment that I wear one anytime I go outside my apt, because if nothing else it’s a subtle reminder that we should be wearing them. But also I want every available chance I have at another 25 yrs. At least.
seefleur
@Jeffro: Passive resistance? Passive-aggressive realization that Parscale is a total moron and knows that he’s fucked and he knows that the adults in the world know that he’s a grifter of the worst sort? Kinda a weird penance on his part? Nah… he’s an asshole who will do whatever he thinks will get him attention – nevermind what type of attention.
LeftCoastYankee
@AliceBlue:
The black cotton masks I got were from 2 different SoCal online designers (some “article” on Esquire about “these sites have masks now” — where “now” means this month)
I’m fairly sure they are each 1/2 of what was supposed to be bikini tops. So, swimwear designers make sense.
And my face-kini looks supremely masculine. :)
burnspbesq
@JPL:
Empty boxes again?
seefleur
@Jeffro: Passive resistance? Passive-aggressive realization that Parscale is a total moron and knows that he’s fucked and he knows that the adults in the world know that he’s a grifter of the worst sort? Kinda a weird penance on his part? Nah… he’s an asshole who will do whatever he thinks will get him attention – nevermind what type of attention.
gene108
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
If there was actual coordination of who got what resources based on how essential the services are and their need, sure hospitals would get priority.
But without that the highest bidder usually wins.
Fair Economist
@gene108:
That was my assumption. From the very start, officials and scientists from Asia were strong proponents of mask wearing, and every study I could find indicated any mask catches some particulates.
Matt McIrvin
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Well, the medical PPE was all gone for a while, so medical personnel were taking any N95 masks they could get, even if they were consumer-grade.
Fair Economist
@Dan B:
If fighting COVID is a war like Trumps says, wouldn’t that mean he’s lost the second Vietnam war?
Emma
Since this is an open thread, what the hell is up with Ben Smith and the FNYT trying to discredit Ronan Farrow? Are they trying to get ahead of some dirt he’s dug up on Sulzberger or something? Is it Ben Smith trying to be a gloryhound? Is it both?
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@gene108:
@Matt McIrvin:
But they’re medical PPE, who else would they be made for? The retail stores I’ve been to only have a limited stock of them at any one time on store shelves.
Back in early March I bought 3 ten pack boxes of molded surgical masks at local supermarket for myself and my family. If I hadn’t, we wouldn’t have had any protection from the virus for essential tasks like grocery shopping
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Emma: my hunch is jealously spurred on by the kind of lazy, smug contrarianism that I at least a associate with a certain kind of ambitious journo-bro
WaterGirl
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
It’s not an acceptable practice to quote that long a piece, so maybe shorten it up next time?
Goku, I had to remove more than 40 links from your comment. You’ll want to be careful not to copy all those extraneous links next time!
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Emma:
Here’s a good summary from the Guardian
Basically, he’s nitpicking. No idea about how credible Wemple is at the Post though I’ve heard of him. Does anybody have any opinions on him?
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@WaterGirl:
Yeah, sorry about that. I’m on my phone and sometimes when you scroll down while you have a section highlighted to copy, it will end highlighting the entire article. You can delete that comment, I made a new one
J R in WV
@Elizabelle:
I wear a big industrial respirator to go to town, and I can assure you that my gonads are in fine fettle, the very finest indeed~!!!~
;-)
Emma
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): yeah, I read that Guardian article too. No idea about Wemple, but using the phrase “muscular debunking work” in the context of trying to discredit Farrow, and by extension all the women who trusted him, already puts him on my shitlist.
planetjanet
Did anybody get a screenshot of the twitter picture in that first Tom Nichols tweet? It is no longer available. A description of it would be good.
artem1s
@seefleur:
masks are the new yard signs
Gvg
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): no. Before crafters started making them, in the US, the only masks we could buy were exactly medical supplies. I never saw any others until a few weeks into this mess.
it turns out there are bycycling and skiers masks that look good to me but I am afraid they have too good a ventilation. I assume ski masks would be too hot for Florida. I just ordered 4 different kinds to try for going back to work. Here in Florida if we can’t find something cool tempature wise we will not stay masked. Heat stroke can kill too. So I am trying different types. I had hoped other people would figure it out and tell me but my neighbors are not having success to report. Temps are going up and what worked a few weeks ago are suffocating now.
Gvg
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): after they adjusted to the idea there was a shortage, drugstores like CVS@ and hardware stores like Ace or Home Depot (N95) just refused to sell masks to regular people so sort of. At first if people turned up wearing the real medical masks, neighbors thought they were hoarders or profiteers. We weren’t supposed to take the good masks.Don’t you remember this? You must have been studying too hard to notice.
i found a pack of N95’s sealed in plastic from the prior year. I must have bought when I was painting my shed last summer. I gave them to my sister the doctor whose VA hospital was in danger of running out then. My dad found a few too. Later after things got a bit better, someone from my parents church gave them 2, one for each of them to use shopping. This is the first wheek I have seen the disposable surgical masks back in stock on line. Still no N95’s.
Bill Arnold
@Elizabelle:
Partly, it’s cultural/bigotry – many people negatively associated mask wearing with the chinese (etc) practice, considering it simply fear.
Partly it was (and is, with the WHO) lingering anti-masker guidelines because there was no science backing the universal use of masks by the public to control the spread of pandemic viral respiratory infections, and to protect supplies for health care workers, for whom masks are essential because they work Part of it was early assumptions about how the virus spreads that de emphasized respiratory spread at anything other than very short range. (It’s still not scientifically clear that indirect transmission of SARS-CoV-2 with hand to contaminated surface then to face is significant. (As in zero case studies that I’ve seen. Could all just be theater and worry. Or not.))
The various people who went out on a limb and received a lot of mockery or worse for saying that the WHO/CDC were wrong about universal mask wearing by the public were participating in a lonely influence operation until mid/late march when it took off.
The WHO’s anti-masker stance will rack up a high body count, but statistical analyses of e.g. death rates (case rates, if accurate) vs mask usage (e.g. by machine vision analysis of store video surveillance records) will be done, and will give an accurate estimate of effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2’s R0. (I’m guessing between a 0.5 and a 1.0 reduction in R0, though Hong Kong’s example suggests that it might be higher.) The “natural experiments” will be very costly in human lives, IMO.
For those who need an article about the virtues of universal mask wearing as a means of source control of SARS-CoV-2, to forward to their friends who are impressed with a lot of words, this is OK. (To be clear, Jeremy Howard was part of said influence op.)
Masks help stop the spread of coronavirus – the science is simple and I’m one of 100 experts urging governors to require public mask-wearing (May 14, 2020, Jeremy Howard)
Bill Arnold
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
It should have been clear after the South Koren church cluster and the Washington choir cluster (and other such clusters) that asymptomatic spread was a thing and that the guidelines were wrong and that masking everyone would block outflows of droplets from asymptomatic individuals, since they are among “everyone”.
It was clear to some, but it took a couple of months and a few more studies to get the message through, and even so, it hasn’t been universally accepted, and the WHO is still holding out. (Why, I have no clue.)
Just noticed a wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_masks_during_the_COVID-19_pandemic
Bunch of refs, and a busy edit history. :-)
Bill Arnold
@gene108:
At the cost of a very high body count among said civilians due to higher exponential spread (R0). IMO. So disappointing that we (the US) didn’t tell our stupid to shut up and do as e.g. Czechia and Slovakia did in March. (My state, New York, mandated masking April 17. Should have done it concurrently with the start of the lockdown on March 22, which should have been weeks earlier.)
Czechs get to work making masks after government decree – Republic and Slovakia are only countries in Europe to make coronavirus mask-wearing mandatory (Robert Tait, Mon 30 Mar 2020)
PaulWartenberg
@NotMax:
If a Man can wear tropical shirts with pineapples on the shirts, then I can wear a pineapple mask goddammit with MANLY PRIDE!
(begins singing a Viking opera)