It’s important to note that the mask is far more effective in stopping the wearer from transmitting a virus than it is in stopping the wearer from contracting a virus.
While this is generally true, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that a properly-fitted respirator provides very good protection. Even more so if it’s an elastomeric with P100 filters (99.97% PFE with absurdly high fit factors).
But…
You’re absolutely right, if everyone would consistently wear at least an earloop respirator like a KF94 or KN95 — even if the quality is a bit sketchy and even if the fit is less than ideal — that would cut down on viral particulate emissions a great deal and task your own respirator with orders of magnitude less particulate to filter out.
While this is generally true, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that a properly-fitted respirator provides very good protection. Even more so if it’s an elastomeric with P100 filters (99.97% PFE with absurdly high fit factors).
But…
You’re absolutely right, if everyone would consistently wear at least an earloop respirator like a KF94 or KN95 — even if the quality is a bit sketchy and even if the fit is less than ideal — that would cut down on viral particulate emissions a great deal and task your own respirator with orders of magnitude less particulate to filter out.
I wear a P100 because I can’t trust my fellow Americans to wear so much as a scarf.