They are pretty much a must have in much of Asia for cultural reasons during flu season. ESPECIALLY in Japan. If you look at a crowd scene in any of their major cities in the winter and spring and you'll see a couple people using them.

But I don't know if their rate of transmission is any better than ours.
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-IronRaven

When a man dare not speak without malice for fear of giving insult, that is when truth starts to die. Truth is the truest freedom.