"The claim: If masks cannot keep out drywall particles, they cannot keep out coronavirus, which is smaller"
"...Fact check: Masks can keep out COVID-19 particles even though smaller than dry wall dust"
The droplets that carry the viral particles are also larger in size than the virus itself,...
“Many people argue that cloth masks can’t be effective because they can’t filter out viral particles, which are extremely tiny,”
she said. “Most of these particles leave the mouth and nose in much larger droplets that become smaller through evaporation as they move away from the body. Trapping droplets with the mask means not nearly as many viral particles escape. So, when all parties in a gathering are wearing well-constructed, well-fitting masks, it provides an extra layer of safety for everyone.”
The COVID-19 particle is indeed around 0.1 microns in size, but it is always bonded to something larger.
“There is never a naked virus floating in the air or released by people,”
said Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech who specializes in airborne transmission of viruses.
“Breathing and talking generate particles around 1 micron in size, which will be collected by N95 respirator filters with very high efficiency,”
said Lisa Brosseau, a retired professor of environmental and occupational health sciences who spent her career researching respiratory protection.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...id-19-despite-drywall-dust-claims/3322819001/
