[dragonwriter]

> Surgical masks do not filter aerosolized particles at the same effiency as an N95. For an airborn virus, that's a pretty big deal,

Last I heard, COVID-19 transmission by aerosols vs. droplets was controversial, and only droplet rather than airborne precautions are generally seen as necessary for it.

Also, a big reason (but, yes, not the only one) that surgical masks are less effective against aerosols is that they don't tightly seal, so the most effective part is routinely bypassed by aerosols.

[DanBC]

That's what we thought a month or so ago. The science with SARS-CoV-2 is developing, and currently we think people need to be careful with large and small droplets. Large droplets fall out of the air quickly; small droplets can be blown further.

The infectious dose for covid-19 is very small, so getting hit by a few large droplets or more small droplets is about the same.

There's no real standard definition for "aerosol" which makes these conversations trickier.

[def8cefe]

From my understanding aerosolized transmission is a greater concern in healthcare settings, especially where ventilators are being used.