With the publication of an excellent review of the benefits of masking by @trishgreenhalgh & colleagues, some are recycling misinformation about the basic physics of masks.

Let me, a biophysicist, take this opportunity to explain the physics of masks.

A 🧵

1/8 The idea that viruses are too small for masks to filter assumes there is only one layer in a mask.

In fact, they are woven with several layers to create a mesh network with much smaller openings.

Below is an image showing the weaving of different mask types.

2/8

Gather around kids!

It’s time to dispel the myths about sudden cardiac death that are popping up again, thanks to the #DiedSuddenly crowd.

The most recent claims centre around Welsh footballer Tom Lockyer who suffered cardiac arrest in a match.

A🧵 This is not the first time Mr Lockyer has collapsed.

He also collapsed in a game back in May.

At that time they identified atrial fibrillation as being the cause of his cardiac arrest.

espn.com/football/story…

Alright, let's address these myths about vaccines, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), & athletes again..

❤️‍🩹Athletes are 3X more likely to have SCA than the general population
❤️‍🩹Basketball players have the highest risk
❤️‍🩹Black athletes have the highest risk

1/7

#Bronny #CardiacArrest ❤️‍🩹Rates of SCD in athletes are ~2-4X higher than the general population.

2/7


https://t.co/WURfkCHoAF
https://t.co/ctYkcmVRLj
https://t.co/91WWyUASCxsciencedirect.com/science/articl…
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.11…
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Once again, we are seeing some unscrupulous people exploiting the tragic deaths of athletes to further their grift about COVID19 vaccines.

Let’s take a look at their claims & see how they don’t hold up. Some vaccine opponents are suggesting that Olympian Tori Bowie’s death is not from pregnancy complications, but the result of COVID19 vaccines.

They point to other athletes who had pregnancy complications as evidence that something is wrong when this happens to healthy women.

How do I know Dr Malhotra is spreading misinformation?

First, there isn't an official journal of the German Cardiac Society. The society is linked to several. Why lie about something so trivial?

https://twitter.com/DrAseemMalhotra/status/1634933994935705605

Second, the "breaking" news is actually several months old. He is just recycling a debunked story hoping people won't check.

Third, as mentioned, the study didn't find what he claims.

healthfeedback.org/claimreview/ge…