Regarding masks, all the literature I've read stated that surgical type masks are designed to keep the wearer from spreading their disease to others by acting as a barrier to keep as many virus or germ filled water droplets contained as possible instead of being released into to the environment, it does nothing to prevent the wearer from inhaling any virus particles that could be in the air as there are too many gaps between the mask and wearer to form a good seal. One caveat, because surgical masks acts as an physical barrier, it does provide protection for the wearer in instances where they were in a position of contact with water droplets directly from an infected person, i.e., if an infected person is in close proximity and sneezed or coughed in your direction, a surgical mask will help in lowering the exposure to any viruses or germs contained in the water droplet that you might otherwise be directly projected into your eyes, nose, and/or mouth. If an infected person sneezed or coughed into the air in general, on the hand, any virus particle present will be mixed with the surrounding air particles after the water droplet has evaporated, waiting for an unfortunate individual to inhale this cocktail of foul air through the gaps in the the surgical mask.
Can Face Masks Protect You From Catching Coronavirus?
news.columbia.edu/[...]
Interim Guidance for the Use of Masks to Control Seasonal Influenza Virus Transmission
news.columbia.edu/[...]
Another type of mask in the headlines is the N95 mask, they are referred to as respirators. As the name implies, they work by acting as a filter filtering out 95% of dangerous particles in the air before reaching the respiratory tract. In order to for these to work effectively though, they must be form-fitted to achieved said tight seal. A drawback to N95 masks is that breathing becomes difficult after long periods of use because they restrict airflow. Exercising while wearing one is not recommended.
As a matter of policy, N95 masks do not work as well as they should because most non-healthcare workers do not follow proper procedures when using these masks, therefore it is much more effective to focus efforts on other disease preventing protocols such as washing hands.
Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4868605/
There is what the CDC recommends on how to prevent infection of the Coronavirus.
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/prevention.html
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
发布者@Geezer, putting aside the politicking of the Chinese government, the oversimplification of the freedoms enjoyed in the US in her speech is very problematic.
What was the point of her analogy? That freedoms blossom in the US while withers in China? Let us not forget that those freedoms were fought for and paid for by the blood of the preceding generations. While she enjoy the labors of those sacrifices, is she ready to make sacrifices of her own? The answer, sadly, is no, as evidence by her insincere non-apology and "commitment" to spread Chinese ideals and culture. Instead of of standing up and defending those freedoms, she cowers at the hint of retribution.
To discover freedom, perhaps you can speak to the minorities that face systematic discrimination everyday, speak to the Muslim communities on how much they enjoyed their freedom, give an opposing view at a MAGA rally to see the freedom of speech at work.
I find nothing at all about her speech or its synthesis to be worth defending other than her rights to make such a speech. But at the same time, I equally defend everyone elses' response to it, CSSA included, those freedom of speech are equally sacred to me.
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
发布者Granted, the suppression and control of outside the mainstream narrative is more overt in China but government control, or at least the control by the main parties of the narrative exists in America just the same, just more subtle.
The finger pointing, as you say, is the result of the two party system, the discourse and freedom is but an illusion. Outside attacks on each other, their views are nearly identical on almost all issues. Both parties have talked "tough on China", both panders and caters to the Middle East and Israel, the only difference is a matter of degrees and the facade of the institution in which they support.
"As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.'
When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy."
― Abraham Lincoln, 1855
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
发布者It cuts both ways, how about China as a currency manipulator, China is stealing our jobs, anything Chinese is viewed as suspicious by the Republican party and the American public in general as that was the narrative being pushed. Japanese companies, Korean companies, German companies, even American companies have all recently been involved in massive product recalls that poses a public safety risk and yet I don't see the same fervor as when it was a Chinese made product.
Such is the nature of politics & government and humans. Always pointing fingers and seeing flaws in others when thinking themselves to be perfect and superior.