Thread by @CarlMinzner

(1/x) There’s deep controversy in the U.S. and Europe over wearing face masks – their merit and accompanying social norms.

Here’s a thread on a specific example from Taiwan on why they’re a very good idea – particularly as some countries and states start re-opening.

(2/x) Overall, Taiwan's response to the virus has outstanding.

It moved EARLY, w/expert-led epidemic control center set up in Jan. – *before* Wuhan even locked down. Contact tracing & effective quarantine policies of both infected & close contacts worked out in Feb. And so on..

(3/x) All of that has allowed Taiwan to avoid the incredibly disruptive lockdown policies most of the world is going through.

Here, we’re on Day 28 of no new domestic cases. 440 cases total. Only 6 deaths. Schools & businesses have more or less just stayed open the whole time.

(4/x) But screw-ups happen. One of Taiwan’s worst scares occurred mid-April, when several military ships returned from visiting Palau.

[Why Palau? Well, when you are a gov. with official diplomatic relations with only 15 nations…because of Beijing…you don't have many options.]

(5/x) As it turns out, sailors on one ship (the Pan Shi) seem to have contracted the virus in Palau and were transmitting between each other on board during the 30-day return trip.

(6/x) They then disembarked in Taiwan, and went out into public (trains, malls, tourist sites, etc) for several days before authorities realized that *dozens* of them were infected and called all 700+ sailors back for centralized quarantine.
theguardian.com/world/2020/apr…

(7/x) That was one crucial period where everyone here in Taiwan was really freaked out. It could have been Taiwan’s super-spreader event – akin to, say, New York’s experience with New Rochelle early on.

But it didn’t happen.

(8/x) There have been *zero* reported cases of community transmission resulting from the infected sailors being out in public.

(9/x) Further, the percentage of sailors on the Pan Shi who appear to have contracted the virus (only 10% so far), is *much* lower than those on the two major American + French aircraft carrier virus cases – around 25-50% so far.
navytimes.com/news/your-navy…

(10/x) And remember, navy ships are practically THE worst-case nightmare scenario for virus spread, many sailors sleeping close together (bunks), eating together, sharing space, etc.

[On Teddy Roosevelt, virus # => 1000+, then Navy stopped releasing info] politico.com/news/2020/05/0…

(11/x) The big difference? Masks.

(12/x) The infected Taiwanese sailors were out walking around in society, interacting w/healthy people. But it just didn’t spread. Everyone was wearing masks. And the navy seems to have adopted that practice as well.

(13/x) Don't listen to me. Listen to Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command.

"A CECC official said that if healthy and infected people [who are interacting - i.e. talking] are wearing masks, their risk of viral transmission is reduced to about 1 to 2 percent."
taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ar…

(14/x) In Taiwan, like in many other places in Asia that have successfully contained the virus, including Hong Kong & South Korea, masks were already a strong default social expectation for flu/cold season anyway. And it just kind of escalated to 100% usage with the coronavirus.

(15/x) Heck, Taiwan is closing in on a full MONTH of *zero* domestic transmitted cases, and almost no new cases, period. And still, in the Costco-style supermarket across from me, almost EVERYONE is still wearing masks when they shop. And it’s still mandatory on the metro.

(16/x) Sure, the U.S. is polarized. People are fighting over whether/how to re-open. Masks are new front in America’s culture wars. Cool.

Just put those slogans on face masks – whatever your position is - and use them to assert your free speech rights in a highly public way.

(17/x) People have been doing it with bumper stickers, hats, and T-shirts for years. Just do it with face masks now.

(18/x) Sure, masks don't solve everything. But they are a powerful tool.

Many other policies – such as vaccines & testing – require time, money, & organization. But masks are a relatively easy + effective tool that individuals & institutions can start adopting themselves.

(19/x) And remember that Taiwan's population is 24 million, + one of the highest population densities in the world.

And yet the TOTAL number of confirmed cases here is lower than San Marino (30,000 pop.) [in Europe] or Wyoming (580,000 pop.) [in U.S.]

Masks, masks, masks...