How safe is it to go to tournaments right now?

Just bought mine. Multipurpose. 

Fighting Corona:

... if it were a nanovirus. 

NONSENSE.

Here are the CDC recommendation for use of the N95 mask, for two different scenarios:

[First scenario] -"CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
[Second scenario] - Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility)."

excerpted from:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

You are erroneously misinterpreting the statement that the CDC does not recommend that the general public (i.e., people who are not infected with the virus) not wear a mask to mean that CDC is saying the N95 mask is not effective for use against COVID-19, if/when used by them. CDC DID NOT SAY THIS. You will note that the CDC simply says they don't recommend the use of a mask by people who are well (in the first scenario - and without explaining why!). And the Surgeon General is also making the same mistake of interpretation of what the CDC recommendations state vs what they do not state.

If the N95 mask is effective for the second scenario, it is certainly effective in the first scenario.

The reason the CDC is not recommending use of the masks by the general is due in large part to the potential second guessing, or criticism, and potential liability, that might ensue should they make statements which may later turn out to be incorrect.   Also they would not want to be accused of encouraging the belief by the public that they would be at high risk of becoming infected by the virus if they do not wear the masks (in public).  In these cases, it is prudent for the CDC to avoid providing rationale for their recommendation regarding the use of the mask by the (non-infected) public in order to avoid alarming them because they know that unless one is in very close proximity with those who are infected, or if you are yourself are already infected, the likelihood of becoming infected under normal everyday scenarios via transmission by an airborne virus is small.  So they are simply trying to avoid creating mass hysteria.  Also that such a recommendation would likely spark a worldwide, mass run on these masks by the general public (i.e., by hundreds of millions of people worldwide), resulting in the availability/supply of masks where they are most needed, i.e., health care facilities, being put in jeopardy. 

Finally, consider that that disreputable elements of society would quickly buy up all the available masks, in order to resell them at exorbitant profits.  That is, the supply of masks would quickly be acquired by those (the black market) hoping to exploit the situation for financial gain.

More irrational nonsense.

How about working and schooling?

I dont think that's the point. The original question is how safe is it to go to a chess tournament. As the disease spreads, probably more and more people will not go to chess tournaments (or other areas where people are in close quarters). Here a biologist who has examined the virus says that it's probably been spreading for six weeks and since those who have had it have little or no signs of it, they just keep spreading it. It's hard to say how many people who look and feel perfectly fine are spreading the virus. My guess is chess tournaments aren't the only thing people are going to be avoiding. 

It's ironic, because yesterday driving by Costco there was a huge line out the door of people waiting to get in. Also, from what I heard, the checkout lines went all the way to the back of the store. All those people crammed into a small space, trying to buy stuff to help them in case they get a disease caused by people crammed into a small space. 

Again, unless there exists reliable evidence that there are infected people present in these scenarios, there is no compelling reason for the CDC to recommend that one should wear protective masks in these situations.  This is not to be interpreted that the CDC is saying that the N95 mask is not effective in protecting against the virus - in fact they state just the opposite, i.e., that is is effective.  It is simply that the CDC does not want to make a recommendation to wear a mask when there is no compelling evidence or facts to support the necessity of wearing one.  See my comments directly above to btickler's posts, for a more detailed explanation.

   Officials in Paris shut down the Louve museum due to the virus.

Another unsupported argument.  My ex-wife is a microbiologist who is working on Coronavirus testing right now this very minute (and for lots of overtime), but...until I needed to make a point to refute your own, I would not have mentioned that...why?  Because it doesn't matter what my ex-wife might tell me in the same way that your "biologist" and their personal take on things doesn't matter either.  Unless you'd like to names names and explain exactly what you mean by "has examined the virus", you are just another schmuck saying "well, my Uncle Joe works security nights at the lab, and HE overheard some doctor saying...".  Why do I suspect you really mean that some acquaintance of yours who has a degree in biology but doesn't work with viruses at all looked at some slides/images posted online and made some harebrained conclusion?

I was at Costco today myself, for groceries, and the number of people buying giant amounts of antiseptic this or that was frightening.  You know who frightened all these people into a mass panic far beyond the scope of reason at this stage?  People just like you.  Calling for a level of "preparedness" far beyond what experts on the subject are advocating.  Even here you are making proclamations like "As the disease spreads, probably more and more people will not go to chess tournaments (or other areas [...]" that you are pulling straight out of your a$$.  

Please, tell us, what else is going to happen?  What should everyone who doesn't have direct access to your omniscient postings do?  Can they survive?

You still keep in touch with your ex-wife?

Of course.  Only immature people cannot be friends with/have a relationship with former partners.  This assumes that one is also mature enough to not have married a person incapable of the same in return.

Mona is protected now....it will reopen tomorrow

You are erroneously interpreting two separate quotes.  Nowhere did I say that the Surgeon General and the CDC are the same entity.  I merely posted 2 different, but on point, quotes...from 2 different, but relevant, authorities.  No more, no less. 

Your "the reason that ABC" and "consider that XYZ" are extrapolations you are personally entitled to make and believe in, but not to toss around like it means anything compared to the published information.  The best advice begins and ends without your interpretations tacked on.  That's the same mistake PatriotGames made.  Don't add your "common sense" conclusions, don't make predictions without any basis, don't decide what will cause worldwide reactions and how it will all play out, etc.

Wow, that's going to be alot of reading for me to do. Didn't think people will put this much effort into this... 

Me neither. I can't believe US would take the virus more seriously than China's neighbors.

Summary:  stay away from sick people and wash your hands a lot. If you work with patients, learn how to use a mask.  If you don't work with patients, don't waste your money buying masks.

According to the CDC that's it in a nutshell.

Go now !! ... while you still can

what do you consider msm? what spock said?!?

i only ask because much of those you appear to despise have told people to wash their hands often and noted that the particle masks do virtually nothing to stop the spread of the virus (of course, with your non-msm sources, you certainly knew that).

i would ask where you get your information from, but when i see rothschild reuters, i withdraw my request.