The simplest possible approach

Everybody should wear masks pretty much all the time, for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. This is by far the most important thing.

The virus is respiratory. It has to be transported out of one person’s respiratory system and into another person’s respiratory system. The keys are breath and spit on side, mouth, nose, and lungs on the other. The mantra is respiration.

There are endless pathways for the virus. But almost all travel outbound from the mouth and nose and arrive into the mouth and nose. We cannot block all the other paths at sufficient depth and at a global scale. But we can block off the mouths and noses.

Masks are not perfect, of course. Of course. I’m not unaware and I’m not ignoring this. But masks do make a big difference.

Let’s consider the worst possible masks, a handkerchief tied over the face. The virus is much smaller than the gaps in the surface of the cloth and can easily pass through. Even so, if someone wearing a handkerchief sneezes, most of the liquid and vapor is caught. You can tell because the cloth becomes moist. Some corona escapes, but most stays put. On the receiving end of the sneeze, most of the virus lands on surfaces rather than being inhaled while airborne, and a person who gets corona on their hands can’t pick their nose, thereby inserting the virus into their respiratory system. They can’t put their finger inside their mouth. They can’t touch the skin of their face, and if they do touch their mask then they can put on a new mask more easily than they can wash their face with soap. And even the worst mask will catch some airborne particles.

This is a method that can be done on a global scale. It is not feasible to have eight billion people stay home. They have to go out to make a living. Many have no home, or their home is too crowded to be safe. It is not feasible to stop touching our own faces – that is not going to happen.

Jails can do this: every inmate should wear a mask whenever they are awake. Daycares can do it: every kid can wear a mask all day. People on crowded buses can do it.

Just masks masks masks. Masks masks masks. Masks masks masks masks masks masks. Masks.