IT’S ALL PART OF THE STIMULUS PLAN! Swine Flu Increases Demand for Face Masks, Antivirals.

Plus, Mexicans put faith in masks, but do they work? “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is not a lot of evidence that masks do much good, and have pointedly not recommended their use by the general public. Swine flu is thought to be transmitted in much the same way as seasonal flu, by touching something with the virus and then passing it to the nose or mouth or through coughing or sneezing.”

UPDATE: A hidden benefit of masks: “If things get bad, I’m wearing a thin, comfortable mask that covers my mouth and nose, and maybe even a pair of goggles. My goal is not to prevent aerial transmission, but to keep my own grubby hands from touching my mouth, nose, and eyes.”