Thread by @SteB777

1) Just a quick note to anti-maskers, mask-sceptics and associated science deniers. The primary purpose of wearing a mask in confined public spaces is to protect other people from virus spread by infected people. See this video as to how it works.🧵

2) The COVID virus is primarily transmitted by an infected person exhaling droplets carrying the virus, with a largely invisible plume being projected in front and around them, every time they exhale, cough or sneeze.
gov.uk/government/pub…

3) As the video demonstrates any sort of face mask greatly reduces the spread of this plume of potentially infected droplets, drastically reducing the likelihood of nearby people becoming infected. It really is that simple.

4) Protecting the mask wearer from the social perspective is of secondary importance, but important to individuals. However, any effective mask also works to drastically reduce the likelihood of a person inhaling droplets from an infected person.

5) Many cite reasons for not wearing a mask, yet "Experts say there are very few medical reasons for people to skip masks.". Most people granted exceptions have put pressure on overstretched GPs and don't deserve exemptions, most of which are spurious.
webmd.com/lung/news/2020…

6) Vocal anti-maskers repeatedly cite specious and spurious reasons for not wearing masks, all of which simply refuse to acknowledge the preponderance of evidence. It's libertarian sophistry, spread by malign propagandists, and spread by "useful idiots".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Useful_id…

7) A "useful idiot" means someone who unwittingly serves the agenda of often malign interests, without realising they are being used. Certain ideologies don't want the public to listen to scientific advice, for reasons other than that stated.

8) A typical argument implies that masks do not give full protection to the user, so are useless. Yet, as we've seen, the primary purpose of a mask from a social and public perspective is to reduce the risk from the virus being spread by exhalation, meaning this argument is moot.

9) It is this mixing of non-relevant arguments, and the failure to acknowledge demonstrable facts, which makes this whole process specious sophistry.
lexico.com/definition/sop…

10) I am sorry for having to be so blunt about this. But ALL anti-masking arguments are specious and it is tiresome having to deal with each false argument. So I have just created this thread to cite to each and every such stupid false argument.
thefreedictionary.com/specious+argum…

@theAliceRoberts @GeorgeMonbiot

@threadreaderapp Please unroll?