Masks or hand sanitizer?

[B0ycey]

Can anyone see why the government aren't pushing mask wearing?  It would seem to be a very low cost, low risk way of going keep R down even if it's not enough on its own.

Well they do advise you wear them if it makes you feel safer.



But as to why they aren't "pushing mask wearing", well to do so would contradict their message at the start of lockdown and make people ask why their advice has changed considering the science hasn't. But being the safety is in regards to everyone wearing them - as to wear them protects not the user but those around them - I don't see why they haven't made them mandatory in places where social distancing isn't possible to be maintained in order to square the round peg and fix the problem of over crowding on public transport.



Stubbornness loses lives but it also limits your options to move forward.

[Borg Refinery]

Basically, I find it hard to imagine a situation where handwaving is super effective (and this should be promoted hard)

Oh they certainly are promoting waving and clapping hard.

[BeElBeeBub]

The government is really pushing hand washing and not touching your face - as it has since the start.



Which is fine.



But they also seem very reluctant to push masks.



Some assumptions



1. There is a distinction between "large" particles that are heavy enough to fall out of the air stream and stick to a surface and "small" particles that essentially float with the airstream and don't settle.



2. A basic mask can cut down the number of large particles a person emits from their mouth/nose.  It cannot reliably stop very fine particles.



There are 4 possible transmission routes.



TL) Large particles landing on surfaces being picked up and then transferred to face.



TS) Small particles landing on surfaces being picked up and then transferred to face.



DL) Large particles transfering directly person to person i.e. sneezes



DS) Small particles transfering directly person to person (again sneezes)



Hand washing is only effective against TL and TS because they prevent the particles (large or small) getting into the face.  



Masks are only effective against TL and DL because they prevent the large particles escaping so they cannot land on a surface or on someone.



Hand washing cannot protect against direct transfer of small particles because they never go via your hands.



Mask wearing can only help a little with direct transfer of small particles - it depends on how effective the mask of donor and recipient are



Basically, I find it hard to imagine a situation where handwaving is super effective (and this should be promoted hard) whilst mask wearing is ineffective.



The only argument I have seen against mask wearing is "it will pull people into forgetting about social distancing" which is reasonable (if debatable) but seeing as we seem to be binning distancing anyway is that an argument anymore?



Can anyone see why the government aren't pushing mask wearing?  It would seem to be a very low cost, low risk way of going keep R down even if it's not enough on its own.