Quote:The N95 surgical mask has long been considered the ‘gold standard’ for protection against Covid-19.

However, a study posted by the National Institutes of Health indicates that wearing these medical-grade masks could expose users to dangerous levels of toxic volatile organic compounds (TVOCs).

South Korean researchers from Jeonbuk National University examined various types of disposable medical-grade masks, including several reusable cotton masks. They discovered that the chemicals emitted by these masks exceeded the recommended safety levels for TVOCs by eightfold. Breathing in TVOCs can cause headaches and nausea, and long-term exposure has been associated with organ damage and even cancer.



“It is clear that particular attention must be paid to the VOCs associated with the use of KF94 [medical] masks their effects on human health,” the study, published in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, said.

Researchers offered a solution for reducing these risks: “Exposure can be significantly reduced if a mask is opened and left to sit for at least 30 min,” they advised. This implies that the packaging process of these masks might contribute to the elevated chemical levels.

The National Institutes of Health made it clear that featuring the study in their database does not mean they endorse its findings. Cloth masks were found to pose far fewer risks, containing 14 times fewer TVOCs than their disposable counterparts. KF94 is the “Korean filter” standard similar to the US N95 mask rating.

New York-based internal medicine physician Dr. Stuart Fischer told the Daily Mail that the study shouldn’t be the sole basis for any strong conclusions, but noted that evidence highlighting the drawbacks of mask-wearing is increasing. He said that “there seems to be diminishing returns on the need for masks.”



In the study, researchers tested 14 different types of masks, including disposable KFAD and KF94 models popular in South Korea and cloth masks made of various materials. They found that disposable masks had up to 14 times more TVOCs than cotton masks, vastly exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended limit of 0.5 parts per million.

TVOCs, which are commonly found in household products like aerosol sprays and cleaning agents, can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and damage organs, according to the American Lung Association. Certain TVOCs are even considered carcinogenic.

The study’s limitations include a small sample size and a focus on specific types of masks, leaving out others like the KN95 commonly used in the U.S. However, it adds to a growing body of research questioning the overall efficacy and potential downsides of mask-wearing, particularly as new Covid variants spread and institutions reconsider mask mandates.

Dr. Fischer summed up the debate, stating, “Extreme fears about the lethality of Covid may have led to decisions that were counterproductive.” He added, “Covid won’t be going away for a long time, if ever. We desperately need policies that do not fracture our society while providing minimal protection.”

It should be noted that South Korea had a confirmed 33,800,000 cases of Covid-19 out of a population of 51,700,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, despite a mask compliance of nearly 99%. Masks failed even basic correlation tests for claims that they “stop the spread.”



In November 2022, a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) was released in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The results from the RCT study dealt a blow to advocates of N95 and surgical masks as effective means to “stop Covid.”

As the study details, 1009 health care workers in four countries who provided direct care to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were given either N95 respirators or medical masks and tracked over the course of 9 weeks. The study was not able to “blind” the participants due to the visible differences in the masks.

The most critical and surprising finding from the study is that N95 respirators did not significantly outperform “medical masks.” The results were based on PCR test for Covid-19 infection and testing for nucleocapsid antibodies (which reveals exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus).

In addition, there were Adverse Events reported for 11% of all medical mask wearers and 13.6% for all N95 respirator wearers. These AEs included: Discomfort, skin irritation, and headaches.

An international team of scientists publishing in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found that mask-wearing can cause significant health problems. The researchers published a meta-analysis of 2,168 studies on adverse medical mask effects — the largest of its kind. They found a statistically significant decline in oxygen intake, increase in carbon dioxide, increased heart rate, increase in shortness of breath, dizziness, and skin irritation. Mask-wearing was associated with a 62% increase in headaches.



“Of the 2,168 screened records, 54 studies were included for qualitative analysis and 37 for statistical meta-analysis,” the authors noted. “Among the 54 studies, 23 were intervention studies, and 31 were observational studies. The 23 intervention studies consisted of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nine non-randomized controlled trials (nRCTs). Of the 31 observational studies, 17 works raised measured values, and 14 were questionnaire studies.”

“Of the 54 included studies, 51 reported numerous adverse mask effects across multiple clinical disciplines, as already compiled in a previous scoping review,” the authors added. “Also 14 of the 17 studies, which were not included in the meta-analysis reported those numerous mask effects.”

“Overall, our systematic review found mask related symptoms that can be classified under the previously described Mask-Induced Exhaustion Syndrome (MIES), with typical changes and symptoms that are often observed in combination,” they added.

In addition, the researchers found that the symptoms were more common and severe with N95 masks.

“In line with recent findings by Kisielinski et al. (14) and Sukul et al. (26), the present results clearly show that N95 masks lead to significantly more pronounced and unfavorable biochemical, physiological and psychological effects than surgical masks,” the authors state. “Altogether, the results in blood oxygenation, discomfort, heart rate, CO2, exertion, humidity, blood pressure, VE, temperature, dyspnea, and itching etc. can be attributed to the larger (almost doubled) dead space and higher breathing resistance of the N95 mask. Compared to the surgical mask upon the short-term effects, N95 masks could impose elevated health risks under extended use.”

“Interestingly, recent data from a large multi-country RCT study show no significant differences between the two mask types in terms of SARS-CoV-2 infection rates,” the authors add. “Nevertheless, there was long enforcement of N95 masks in e.g., Austria and Germany.”

Last week, Morris Brown College in Atlanta revealed its plans to reimpose a mask requirement, despite having no known Covid cases on campus. Similarly, Lionsgate film studio in California initially announced it would re-establish mask mandates for specific offices in Santa Monica. After receiving criticism, Lionsgate reversed the decision, stating that they had managed to control the supposed spread of Covid.

But for those believing that surgical masks and cloth masks are a helpful alternative, the following are medical experts telling the truth about them.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former FDA chief who quickly transitioned after leaving office to become a Pfizer board member, appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation” in January 2022 and debunked the mask myth.

“Cloth masks aren’t going to provide a lot of protection, that’s the bottom line,” he said. “This is an airborne illness. We now understand that. And a cloth mask is not going to protect you from a virus that spreads through airborne transmission. It could protect better through droplet transmission, something like the flu, but not this coronavirus.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci had once shared a similarly candid assessment as Gottlieb’s on the efficacy of masks in a February 2020 email to an HHS official.

“Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection,” he wrote in the email.

“The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through material,” he said. “It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you.”

Dr. Leanna Wen, a medical contributor for CNN, said, “Don’t wear a cloth mask. Cloth masks are little more than facial decorations. There’s no place for them in light of Omicron.”

Florida’s surgeon general Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo is calling on mass civil disobedience if public health “experts” once again try to impose mask mandates, despite those non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) having failed spectacularly to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the United States and throughout the world.

Specifically, Florida’s chief health officer has urged the public to oppose the “terrible policies” surrounding mask mandates and advised Americans to “refuse to participate.”

Link

(08-29-2023 06:17 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

Quote:The N95 surgical mask has long been considered the ‘gold standard’ for protection against Covid-19.

However, a study posted by the National Institutes of Health indicates that wearing these medical-grade masks could expose users to dangerous levels of toxic volatile organic compounds (TVOCs).

South Korean researchers from Jeonbuk National University examined various types of disposable medical-grade masks, including several reusable cotton masks. They discovered that the chemicals emitted by these masks exceeded the recommended safety levels for TVOCs by eightfold. Breathing in TVOCs can cause headaches and nausea, and long-term exposure has been associated with organ damage and even cancer.



“It is clear that particular attention must be paid to the VOCs associated with the use of KF94 [medical] masks their effects on human health,” the study, published in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, said.

Researchers offered a solution for reducing these risks: “Exposure can be significantly reduced if a mask is opened and left to sit for at least 30 min,” they advised. This implies that the packaging process of these masks might contribute to the elevated chemical levels.

The National Institutes of Health made it clear that featuring the study in their database does not mean they endorse its findings. Cloth masks were found to pose far fewer risks, containing 14 times fewer TVOCs than their disposable counterparts. KF94 is the “Korean filter” standard similar to the US N95 mask rating.

New York-based internal medicine physician Dr. Stuart Fischer told the Daily Mail that the study shouldn’t be the sole basis for any strong conclusions, but noted that evidence highlighting the drawbacks of mask-wearing is increasing. He said that “there seems to be diminishing returns on the need for masks.”



In the study, researchers tested 14 different types of masks, including disposable KFAD and KF94 models popular in South Korea and cloth masks made of various materials. They found that disposable masks had up to 14 times more TVOCs than cotton masks, vastly exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended limit of 0.5 parts per million.

TVOCs, which are commonly found in household products like aerosol sprays and cleaning agents, can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and damage organs, according to the American Lung Association. Certain TVOCs are even considered carcinogenic.

The study’s limitations include a small sample size and a focus on specific types of masks, leaving out others like the KN95 commonly used in the U.S. However, it adds to a growing body of research questioning the overall efficacy and potential downsides of mask-wearing, particularly as new Covid variants spread and institutions reconsider mask mandates.

Dr. Fischer summed up the debate, stating, “Extreme fears about the lethality of Covid may have led to decisions that were counterproductive.” He added, “Covid won’t be going away for a long time, if ever. We desperately need policies that do not fracture our society while providing minimal protection.”

It should be noted that South Korea had a confirmed 33,800,000 cases of Covid-19 out of a population of 51,700,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, despite a mask compliance of nearly 99%. Masks failed even basic correlation tests for claims that they “stop the spread.”



In November 2022, a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) was released in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The results from the RCT study dealt a blow to advocates of N95 and surgical masks as effective means to “stop Covid.”

As the study details, 1009 health care workers in four countries who provided direct care to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were given either N95 respirators or medical masks and tracked over the course of 9 weeks. The study was not able to “blind” the participants due to the visible differences in the masks.

The most critical and surprising finding from the study is that N95 respirators did not significantly outperform “medical masks.” The results were based on PCR test for Covid-19 infection and testing for nucleocapsid antibodies (which reveals exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus).

In addition, there were Adverse Events reported for 11% of all medical mask wearers and 13.6% for all N95 respirator wearers. These AEs included: Discomfort, skin irritation, and headaches.

An international team of scientists publishing in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found that mask-wearing can cause significant health problems. The researchers published a meta-analysis of 2,168 studies on adverse medical mask effects — the largest of its kind. They found a statistically significant decline in oxygen intake, increase in carbon dioxide, increased heart rate, increase in shortness of breath, dizziness, and skin irritation. Mask-wearing was associated with a 62% increase in headaches.



“Of the 2,168 screened records, 54 studies were included for qualitative analysis and 37 for statistical meta-analysis,” the authors noted. “Among the 54 studies, 23 were intervention studies, and 31 were observational studies. The 23 intervention studies consisted of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nine non-randomized controlled trials (nRCTs). Of the 31 observational studies, 17 works raised measured values, and 14 were questionnaire studies.”

“Of the 54 included studies, 51 reported numerous adverse mask effects across multiple clinical disciplines, as already compiled in a previous scoping review,” the authors added. “Also 14 of the 17 studies, which were not included in the meta-analysis reported those numerous mask effects.”

“Overall, our systematic review found mask related symptoms that can be classified under the previously described Mask-Induced Exhaustion Syndrome (MIES), with typical changes and symptoms that are often observed in combination,” they added.

In addition, the researchers found that the symptoms were more common and severe with N95 masks.

“In line with recent findings by Kisielinski et al. (14) and Sukul et al. (26), the present results clearly show that N95 masks lead to significantly more pronounced and unfavorable biochemical, physiological and psychological effects than surgical masks,” the authors state. “Altogether, the results in blood oxygenation, discomfort, heart rate, CO2, exertion, humidity, blood pressure, VE, temperature, dyspnea, and itching etc. can be attributed to the larger (almost doubled) dead space and higher breathing resistance of the N95 mask. Compared to the surgical mask upon the short-term effects, N95 masks could impose elevated health risks under extended use.”

“Interestingly, recent data from a large multi-country RCT study show no significant differences between the two mask types in terms of SARS-CoV-2 infection rates,” the authors add. “Nevertheless, there was long enforcement of N95 masks in e.g., Austria and Germany.”

Last week, Morris Brown College in Atlanta revealed its plans to reimpose a mask requirement, despite having no known Covid cases on campus. Similarly, Lionsgate film studio in California initially announced it would re-establish mask mandates for specific offices in Santa Monica. After receiving criticism, Lionsgate reversed the decision, stating that they had managed to control the supposed spread of Covid.

But for those believing that surgical masks and cloth masks are a helpful alternative, the following are medical experts telling the truth about them.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former FDA chief who quickly transitioned after leaving office to become a Pfizer board member, appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation” in January 2022 and debunked the mask myth.

“Cloth masks aren’t going to provide a lot of protection, that’s the bottom line,” he said. “This is an airborne illness. We now understand that. And a cloth mask is not going to protect you from a virus that spreads through airborne transmission. It could protect better through droplet transmission, something like the flu, but not this coronavirus.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci had once shared a similarly candid assessment as Gottlieb’s on the efficacy of masks in a February 2020 email to an HHS official.

“Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection,” he wrote in the email.

“The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through material,” he said. “It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you.”

Dr. Leanna Wen, a medical contributor for CNN, said, “Don’t wear a cloth mask. Cloth masks are little more than facial decorations. There’s no place for them in light of Omicron.”

Florida’s surgeon general Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo is calling on mass civil disobedience if public health “experts” once again try to impose mask mandates, despite those non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) having failed spectacularly to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the United States and throughout the world.

Specifically, Florida’s chief health officer has urged the public to oppose the “terrible policies” surrounding mask mandates and advised Americans to “refuse to participate.”

Link

TrUsT tHe ScIeNcE

If you actually go to the article this link refers to it says they didn't test it on people actually wearing it. Probably should do that.

(08-29-2023 07:53 PM)fsquid Wrote:  If you actually go to the article this link refers to it says they didn't test it on people actually wearing it. Probably should do that.

Maybe the people testing out the masks could be hosed down with Roundup while we're at it.