Army Bob: Use of masks helps liberate us from home

by Robert M. Traxler

To mask up or not to mask up is the question we are all faced with in the latest pandemic in my lifetime. The SARS, Asian Flu, Hong Kong Flu, Bird Flu, Swine Flu and others many others, Ebola, AIDS, “Common Flu” to name a few others, came and went.

Some, like the Swine Flu, are still with us, with 200,000 known cases and a very large number of undiagnosed cases just last year, even though we have a vaccine, contained in the annual “flu shot.” Will the COVID-19 virus disappear even with a vaccine? No, no it will not.

Like all viral infections, they arrive like a large wave washing over the nation with a roar, and then settle down; COVID-19 will be with us at least for the next decade or longer, not unlike Swine Flu. We are in the wave currently and reducing the rate of spread is the goal we all need to shoot for. Do not kid yourself; the COVID-19 virus will not be magically halted, but we can and must take precautions to slow the growth rate.

However, we will live with COVID-19 like we live with H1N1, Swine Flu. It is important that those of us in the high-risk category take extra precautions, and those who are not take a few simple steps to protect others until the wave passes.

Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH stated a few recommendations for cloth face masks in WEBMD, an online medical information site I prefer to use for basic medical advice:

“Fabric: The best cloth masks will use at least two layers of a tightly woven cotton fabric. Look for a high thread count. This acts as a filter blocking respiratory droplets while still allowing you to breathe comfortably.

Filter: Some will have a space to slip in a filter for an added layer of protection. The CDC recommends adding coffee filters to homemade masks. Online I’ve seen many filter options pop-up as people experiment with products in their home. These include cutouts from reusable fabric grocery bags made of polypropylene non-woven fibers, nylon fabric from pantyhose, paper towels, kitchen towels, bra pads, denim, and canvas to name a few.

We do not have much science to go on, so common sense is critical here. Is the filter worth adding when you consider safety and usability? The filter needs to be dense enough to block tiny, moist particles while also being breathable and comfortable. Are you inadvertently breathing something toxic? For example, some HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters can have fiberglass, which would be very dangerous to inhale. Definitely do your own research to keep up with new information.”

Good advice from Dr. Cassoobhoy. Quite frankly, I prefer to add a filter to the masks my wife makes, with two layers of tightly woven cotton quilt fabric. Back in January, I ordered a large number of 2.5 filters and add them to the masks we and our family and friends use. The 2.5 filters with activated charcoal can be purchased online from 50 cents to $1 each and do work, and we change them out every week.

Many people have stated that there is no absolute proof homemade cotton masks work; OK, do you know an N-95 mask is 95% effective? They are not 100%? To use a helmet in battle is not 100% effective, body armor is not 100% effective, ballistic armor on combat vehicles is not 100% effective, but I sure used them in a dangerous situation and would again. Let us not dismiss the good because it is not the perfect.

Breathe during very cold weather and see the droplets from your breath as ice floating in the air. Sneeze or cough with sunlight coming through a window and see the thousands of droplets floating in the air. A cotton mask keeps the droplets contained and protects you and others, not 100% of the time, but to get to 100% you need to have a full body suit and external highly filtered air.

We are now seeing the miracle of capitalism in action, with many companies producing masks at an astonishing rate. If we are to get back to “normal” to get our governor to emancipate us from confinement, we need to mask up to open up. Democratic governors have painted themselves into a corner, all trying to out-regulate each other. If we all use protective masks, it could be the rationale she can use to unlock the cage she put us in, allowing us to go back to work.