Yale University’s Take on Cloth Masks for Everyone

How can something that costs so little can save you thousands of dollars?

A panel from Yale University answered that with a report about the benefits of the universal use of cloth masks.

In this article, the health and economic advantages that the Yale policy paper described are listed.

Health Benefits

Evidence has shown that cloth masks can limit the transmission of the Covid-19, especially from asymptomatic carriers.
More masks can be available for health care workers if the general public wears cloth masks or produced them from home.
There are many situations and occupations where social distancing is not possible. Buying food, health care visits, cashiers, and delivery workers. I will add barbers and food servers.
A study of different countries showed that the increase in deaths is higher (21%) in states that don’t wear masks. Countries that wear masks have a slower death rate at 11%. A slower death rate may also mean a smaller volume of critical patients.

The estimated benefits of each cloth mask worn is conservatively estimated in the $3,000-$6,000 range.
If masks can reduce the transmission rate by only 10%, hundreds of deaths could be prevented globally. That is trillions of dollars in savings.
The economic benefits may actually be higher because regular activity and work can be resumed earlier.
Making N95 masks available to a health worker can translate to more than a million dollars per mask. One mask worn by a health worker can prevent infection to others, especially to the immune-compromised. N95 masks keeps the health workers’ disease-free and stop understaffing and added stress to the system.

The paper ends with the recommendation that politicians and media members should be visibly wearing masks to promote wearing cloth masks.

Below is a video on how to make a cloth mask without sewing.

Added tips:

Tape a blunt bendable metal on top to conform to your nose bridge.
If your rubber bands are too small, double them to make them stronger and link them together. One loop goes to the hanky, the other to your ears.
In the absence of rubber bands, use a string or shoelaces and make a slip knot to make an adjustable ear-loop.
Insert a coffee filter (CDC) or a paper towel (Univ of Hong Kong) to increase the filtration power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8_0vFwGwXc

Cloth masks add protection to social distancing and hand washing.

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