0 Risk Of Transmission

2020Exploitable / image macrodead

Published July 28, 2026

Also known as: 0% Risk Meme · COVID Mask Infographic Meme

0% Risk Of Transmission is an exploitable image macro based on a COVID-19 mask-wearing infographic that first appeared on Imgur in July 20201. The meme repurposes the chart's "0% risk of transmission" row by replacing the scenario with someone expressing an unpopular opinion, causing the other person to walk away entirely. It became a popular format on Reddit for mocking widely disliked takes on topics like astrology, essential oils, and fringe beliefs.

science chart memescovid 19 memes2020 memesmask memesexploitable templates

Overview

The original infographic is a chart showing how different combinations of mask-wearing between two people affect the supposed risk of COVID-19 transmission1. Each row illustrates two stick figures, one infected and one healthy, with varying mask configurations. The percentage drops as more masks are involved, bottoming out at a "0% risk of transmission" row where both figures are masked and distanced.

In the meme version, the "0% risk" row gets edited so that one figure says something deeply off-putting or widely mocked, and the other figure is shown walking away. The joke: you can't spread COVID if nobody wants to be near you1. The format works for any opinion considered so bad it functions as a social repellent.

Origin & Background

Platform
Imgur (source infographic), Reddit (meme format)
Creator
u/AgreeableForm
Date
2020

The source infographic appeared on Imgur on July 18, 20202. Its exact creator is unclear, and it was not attributed to any official health organization. While the general principle that masks and social distancing reduce COVID-19 spread was backed by public health guidance, the specific percentages in the chart lacked rigorous sourcing. Notably, the claim of a literal 0% transmission risk was scientifically inaccurate1.

The first known meme edit came from Reddit user u/AgreeableForm, who posted a modified version to r/tucker_carlson on August 3, 2020. That post picked up over 430 upvotes, establishing the template's basic formula: replace the bottom row's scenario with a socially repulsive opinion.

How It Spread

After the initial r/tucker_carlson post, the format spread to other communities within weeks. On August 13, 2020, Facebook user David McAfee posted a version targeting essential oil evangelists. The joke landed well with audiences tired of pseudoscience sales pitches during a pandemic.

The meme's biggest single hit came on October 5, 2020, when Reddit user u/lordsethpimpin posted an astrology-themed version to r/dankmemes. That post blew up to over 55,000 upvotes, pushing the format into mainstream meme rotation1. From there, variations targeting MLM sellers, flat earthers, anti-vaxxers, and other commonly mocked groups circulated across Reddit, Facebook, and Instagram throughout late 2020.

The format was tightly tied to the pandemic era. As COVID-19 discourse shifted and mask mandates wound down in 2021 and 2022, the template lost its contextual punch. The meme relied on audiences recognizing the original infographic, and as that reference faded from public memory, so did the format.

How to Use This Meme

The 0% Risk Of Transmission format typically follows this structure:

1

Start with the original infographic showing various mask-wearing scenarios and their supposed transmission risk percentages

2

Edit the bottom "0% risk" row so that the left figure (the "infected" person) is saying or representing something widely disliked

3

The right figure is shown walking away, creating maximum social distance

4

The punchline: the opinion is so repellent that nobody will get close enough for transmission to occur

Fun Facts

The original infographic claimed a literal 0% transmission risk with masks and distancing, which no credible health authority ever stated. The exaggeration actually made it better meme material1.

The meme format is essentially a social distancing joke about social distancing, a layer of meta that helped it land during peak pandemic humor1.

The first meme edit appeared on r/tucker_carlson, a politically conservative subreddit, but the format quickly became politically neutral as it spread to general meme communities.

Derivatives & Variations

Essential oils edit:

David McAfee's Facebook version mocking essential oil advocates as guaranteeing social distancing, posted August 13, 2020[1].

Astrology edit:

u/lordsethpimpin's r/dankmemes post showing astrology talk as the ultimate repellent, earning 55,000+ upvotes on October 5, 2020[1].

Political variants:

The original meme edit by u/AgreeableForm on r/tucker_carlson applied the format to political commentary, setting the tone for ideological versions[1].

Frequently Asked Questions

References (2)

  1. 1
    Internet memeencyclopedia
  2. 2
    0% Risk Of Transmission - Know Your Memeencyclopedia