SK and Germany are showing death rates well less t
Post# of 148158
Unless there are multiple strains?
Also RSV, Parainfluenza, other coronavirus, rhinovirus, and other unknown virus can cause ILI (Influenza like illness). On average only 24% of ILI's tested come back positive for influenza. What are the rest? Do we know COVID-19 was not here before since we never tested for it before? How many of the 50000 "flu" patients that die every year have confirmed Influenza A or B versus something else. Is part the fear is because it came from China and they "eat bats"?
I don't know the definite answers to any of these, and this all IMO but I am wondering.
I believe that with facemasks the surgical kind can stop transmission, but unlikely contraction since their aerosolization protections are limited. N95 masks can prevent contraction but have to be fitted and handled properly and most people do not have the proper training.
Since surgical masks can prevent transmission, they could be viewed as a form of personal containment. A debate arises that if the person is negative, the limited filtration properties of surgical masks can be enough to trap positive virus aerosols which then allow the virus particles to easily penetrate and more likely infect. So if everyone wore surgical masks, it might depend on whether the transmission or contraction issue is more significant. Again all is only my opinion.