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Comment by Consultant32452 | Hacker News Reader

Yes an N95 mask provides more protection than a surgical mask. That's completely different from whether either mask protects the wearer. Both masks absolutely protect the wearer from infection. I'm sure you understand that, but the way you are wording things makes this unclear.

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If you have a mask shortage and there is one mask left in the country, is it better for the society for the sick person to wear it or for healthy person to wear it?

How about making enough masks so healthy and sick can wear similar to countries like Taiwan.

I simply will not stand to be "managed" or lied to. The masks protect the wearer. That is a simple fact. Anyone who states/implies otherwise is either ignorant or a liar.

Now we have the separate issue of the fact that there is a critical supply shortage. In such a scenario I'm more than happy to oblige in managing systemic risk by allocating all the masks to healthcare workers, the critically vulnerable, etc. But don't lie to me along the way.

He is not lying to you. That’s disingenuous. The OP is stating that the very little protection you get by wearing a mask does not warrant you horsing it. Masks should be used by sick people to Maximize their proficiency. I’m surprised to read such comments in the HN community which is supposed to be focused on engineering and optimization within a set of constraints.

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