Thread by @keithppereira

“What the eye doesn't see and the mind doesn’t accept, DOES EXIST!”

👇 picture of the hands of Thomas Edison’s assistant. Later died from Cancer due exposure to the same ‘invisible’ X-Ray radiation

Why are we discussing this in 2020, during #Covid_19 ?

1/

Radiation is not visible to the human eye and neither is Coronavirus.

The size of the virus is about 0.1 um, smaller than a red blood cell and even some bacteria

Both can have devastating effects , if we do not protect ourselves

2/

#Covid_19 can be transmitted by droplets >5 µm which can quickly form aerosols ≤5 µm.

Besides the well-known transmission by coughing and sneezing, the virus can be transmitted even during SPEECH….in fact the louder you speak, more are chances of transmission..

3/

Why is this virus much worse than previous respiratory infections like SARS-1?

The virus resides in your throat (not lungs): easily coughed out

Asymptomatic carriage is strong and consistent: You can get the virus even when the other person has NO SYMPTOMS! 😱

4/

Enter 😷- Home-made-masks

Medical masks (protect yourself) are different from Home made masks (protect others)

Home-made-masks are great for 'source control' by blocking large droplets as they are emitted in coughing and talking before they are aerosolised

5/

Wearing masks doesn't protect me, but others around me- So ⁉️

An infection has R0-transmission rate
R0=1 one person infects one other person
R0<1 infection dies out

Modelling suggests: A mask 60% effective and worn by 60% people will reduce R0 to <1.0

#AllInThisTogether

6/

What is the scientific evidence that Universal masking works?- Unfortunately no RCT's- impractical

SEIR and Agent Based Models showing value of Universal masking

Link: arxiv.org/pdf/2004.13553…

7/

Real life experiences shows value of universal masking

Every country where mask-wearing introduced as national policy (+other measures), rates of transmission fell in the subsequent days @nytimes

Story of two European neighbors Austria and Czechia @trishgreenhalgh

8/

Economic value of universal masking:

"The benefits of each additional cloth mask worn by the public are conservatively in the $3,000-$6,000 range due to their impact in slowing the spread of the virus"

@Jabaluck

papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

9/

As a physicians and Interventional specialist, we deal with radiation everyday and now #COVID_19. WE all wear lead shields to protect ourselves and #N95 while saving YOUR lives

Please 🙏 do us a favor:

Wear your masks!-Protect yourselves and Your #HealthcareHeroes

10/

References:

@nature
@NEJM
@Masks4AllProj

11/ End