Category: Masks4All

Grand River Transit is free until June 1st in Waterloo…



Grand River Transit is free until June 1st in Waterloo Region.  

At that time, people will be required to board the bus by the front doors again to pay their fares.  As if #COVID19 will magically be gone because we said so.

Although GRT suggests riders wear masks, when I took transit the other day, I was in the tiny minority of mask wearers. 

Right now, drivers are somewhat protected from passengers by distance, and none that I’ve seen are wearing masks.  Drivers should be wearing masks *now* to encourage regular riders to wear them June 1st.  

Battling a virus with masks

Battling a virus with masks:

“The maximum transmission distance of the virus aerosol — particles generated in the air during breathing, talking, coughing and sneezing — is about 4 metres. In a study conducted by the National Institute of Health, even after speaking, salivary particles were found to remain floating in the air for eight minutes. These points further emphasise the importance of mask usage.”

The Hindu:  Battling a virus with masks by Nikita Mehra

I protect you.  You protect me.This Czech PSA is what made me…



I protect you.  You protect me.

This Czech PSA is what made me realize the absolute importance of universal mask wearing to protect us all from COVID-19.

The evidence in support of this just keeps coming.

Especially if we are opening up despite the fact there is still no known protection or treatment of the novel coronavirus, it is critical that everyone wears masks when they are out in public.    

Reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2:

“Measurements now show that intense coughs and sneezes that propel larger droplets more than 20 ft can also create thousands of aerosols that can travel even further (1). Increasing evidence for SARS-CoV-2 suggests the 6 ft WHO recommendation is likely not enough under many indoor conditions where aerosols can remain airborne for hours, accumulate over time, and follow air flows over distances further than 6 ft.”

“Given how little is known about the production and airborne behavior of infectious respiratory droplets, it is difficult to define a safe distance for social distancing.”

“From epidemiological data, countries that have been most effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 have implemented universal masking, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea. In the battle against COVID-19, Taiwan (population 24 million, first COVID-19 case 21 January 2020) did not implement a lockdown during the pandemic, yet maintained a low incidence of 441 cases and 7 deaths (as of 21 May 2020). By contrast, the state of New York (population ~20 million, first COVID case 1 March 2020), had a higher number of cases (353,000) and deaths (24,000). By quickly activating its epidemic response plan that was established after the SARS outbreak, the Taiwanese government enacted a set of proactive measures that successfully prevented the spread of SARS-CoV-2, including setting up a central epidemic command center in January, using technologies to detect and track infected patients and their close contacts, and perhaps most importantly, requesting people to wear masks in public places.”

Science: Reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2
by Kimberly A. Prather, Chia C. Wang and Robert T. Schooley