Security theater

From Jim Geraghty's interview with a hospital honcho:
“Go out to the supermarket or the hardware store or wherever else people are being instructed to wear a mask or other facial covering, and you’ll see about half of them have pulled the mask down off their nose because it’s uncomfortable to breathe,” he said. “That totally defeats the purpose. There are people spending stupid amounts of money to buy N95s, and then wear them with big gaps around their mouth because they don’t take the time to learn how to use them properly — and they keep using them, even after they’re physically broken down and can’t seal properly. If I wanted to be one of those Karen scolds, I could get my [thrills] all day lecturing those folks, but since this is the epidemiologic equivalent of TSA Security Theater, and the typical American puts personal comfort and convenience first, it’s not worth doing. Then again, I’m not one of those persons who gets their [thrills] bossing others around.”

7 comments:

Christopher B said...

If it means we can start opening up again I'm willing. We do plenty of harmless things mostly to grease the social wheels.

Thos said...

The other day, as I was going about an errand, I made note of how many people were also out and about, I began thinking to myself how little the official pronouncements matter in light of what is in fact going on.

Thinking on that reminded me of the Complaynt of Scotland, from which I offer this excerpt:

In auld times it was determinit . . . that there suld be na familiaritie betwix Scottis men and Inglis men, nor marriage to be contrakit betwix them, nor conventions on holydais at gammis and plays, nor merchandres to be maid amang them . . . . Bot thai statutis and artiklis are adnullit, for ther hes been grit familiaritie, and conventions, and makyng of merchandreis . . . this lang tyme . . .

Assistant Village Idiot said...

The next sentence: "For what it’s worth — which is not much — my perspective is for most of the public, imperfect or partial protection is better than no protection."

We take protection very seriously at the hospital. I will hazard a guess the doctor would turn someone at his hospital in for breaking infection protocol. His lack of interest in doing so outside the hospital is not quite what he thinks it is. Whether folks report others is partly their personality, but it is more closely tied to whether they think something is really dangerous to others or not. He doesn't think it is that dangerous out in public, and he is largely correct. Masking and distancing are interventions that may make a distance in aggregate, but outdoors even that is not established. Each individual instance has a very small likelihood of causing danger. It still may be worth doing for the percentage decrease.

E Hines said...

Those folks wearing their masks improperly may not be missing much.

https://www.businessinsider.com/many-n95-masks-fail-block-out-95-of-air-particles-2020-5

Eric Hines

raven said...

Hmmm
Apparently even when they are not chinese shoddywork.
https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/features/face-masks-dont-work-revealing-review/

Texan99 said...

I'd guess the doctor believes that infection protocols at his hospital are not merely Security Theater. Sloppily worn masks at WalMart clearly are; they're a social signal, which means there's not much point in trying to police the exact execution of the signal. It's the thought that counts.

ymarsakar said...

This is why I told people, including here, to get the 3m Half mask technology. It has a coolant vent and rubber sealing. This prevents the exhale from fogging up your glasse and heating your face up.

n95 means 95%. Not exactly sure how they test it, but the P100 filters seem slightly better. Having customized filters is important.

That does not mean people need to use this. As there are better alternative healing methods, but because the media sewer talks about it, Americans think and do it. It is Full Mind Control.

For people that thought clowns in action and Operation paperclip Nazi tech derived mind control was just a fantasy... you are watching it in real time.