MASKS- many opinions, swiss-cheese viewpoints from "experts".

(doouble, incomplete posting accidentally- ignore above)

The co2 THAT REMAINS IN THE AIR REBREATHED reduces the ability of the blood to dump it's Co2 into that rebreathed air. Gas pressures in any exposure where differential exists attempt to equalize partial pressures individually. The higher the differential in partial pressures of any gas, the faster the exchange. As the partial pressure of CO2 in rebreathed air is greater than that of fresh air- the exchange rate reduces. This relates to Dalton's law of partial pressures; look it up.

BUT- it is not CO2 that keeps you conscious and functional, it is O2. CO2 triggers chemo-receptors which drive the feeling you desperately need to take a breath- as when you hold it too long, and CO2 blood gas builds because you have not ventilated it. I'm not so much concerned with the retained CO2 levels here, although it contributes to the feeling of distress- but reduction in O2, which can trigger hypoxia and loss of consciousness.

I taught this stuff for 15 years. I've worked with record-holding breath-hold divers. Done a lot myself. I'm not guessing or just throwing stuff out for the sake of argument. It's a very small portion of the mask issue; irrelevant to most people- but critical to a few, which are the people this addresses.

 

Are you sure about either of those assertions given that a person who dies WITH COVID is said to have died OF COVID and to make sure there is a premium paid to hospitals that report COVID deaths and not a dime for hospitals that report a death by choking on a surgical mask.

A legitimate question regarding this whole issue is, "why would we expect a mask designed to prevent bacteria from getting into the bloodstreams of patients during surgery be expected to efficiently filter much smaller viruses.