The latest research shows that masks simply don't work.

[UnseenParticipant]

No, this isn’t Jimmy Dore, Russell Brand, or Alex Jones of Infowars. It’s research done under the auspices of the widely respected Cochrane Library.

Here’s the dumbed down version for people without the qualifications to understand the report.

It turns out masks do little or nothing even in clinical settings. Do they sometimes, in rare cases, prevent infection? Of course, but we need to weigh that against the costs masking is making us suffer. Children losing two going on three years of social and language development. Small local businesses forced to close. And all that is not to mention the divisiveness that resulted from forcing people to wear masks. For every Facemask Karen there were undoubtedly many others resentful of being forced or guilt-tripped into masking up.

The following is an interpretation of the study by a true expert in the relevant fields.

Vinay Prasad MD MPH
Hematologist Oncologist
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
http://www.vinayakkprasad.com

Finally, here is the report in case you want to read it: Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (Review)

 

[_Robert_Participant]

I read the abstract and conclusion. It’s not even a study. It is a survey of studies. They picked other studies (hmm, how and why did they pick those particular studies?), many not even covid related, then they ran some statistics and their conclusion was the data from the studies is of low confidence because of doubts about the “conformity” of actually wearing the masks and so we need more studies. Pathetic.

Now I do agree that field studies about mask effectivity might be unreliable because people are wearing masks on their chins. These are not lab tests that show how a properly worn mask can block virus particles. There are tons of those studies. I wear my mask properly. It’s not all that hard.

But hey there are gazillion field studies that claim even though many people can’t wear mask correctly, they are still effective.

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/09/surgical-masks-covid-19.html

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2211029

https://egc.yale.edu/largest-study-masks-and-covid-19-demonstrates-their-effectiveness-real-world

This is not a clinical test of a properly worn mask.

[_Robert_Participant]

I have decades of experience with probability and statistics. Doppler weather RADAR returns happen to be statistical data sets that convey a probability. I can make any survey or poll data set appear to tell any story I choose to. I would give you impressive correlation and regression analysis backed by pages of charts, tables and graphs. Even in a room full of techies, only about 5% of my audience would be on to me. Hopeful they would be friendly to my cause.

However, if you worked for me and the result of your big study is “we need more studies”, I would surely fire you.

[UnseenParticipant]

_Robert_ wrote:

I can make any survey or poll data set appear to tell any story I choose to. I would give you impressive correlation and regression analysis backed by pages of charts, tables and graphs. Even in a room full of techies, only about 5% of my audience would be on to me.

Well, you gave me a good reason not to trust any analysis done by you. LOL

On the other hand, the lead researcher here is well-respected in the field as is the Cochrane Library. Are you accusing him and Cochrane Library of having an agenda?

[UnseenParticipant]

@robert

I think you’ve been derailed by taking my admittedly clickbaitish subject line more seriously than intended or warranted.

My point, based on the Cochrane Library study isn’t really that masks don’t work it’s that the evidence they are effective in practice isn’t there.

“In practice” is crucial. Even if masks can work, most ordinary folks don’t wear masks properly. They don’t fit them properly around the nose and/or don’t pull them around the chin. Or they keep on touching their mask or pull it up in order to scratch an itch or even blow their nose.

Also, a lot of us have beards. With a beard, dependin on how it’s trimmed, it may be impossible to fit a mask properly.

But research studying medical professionals has failed to show much effect at all. I believe many of the Cochrane Library studies fall into the category of medical professionals.

The situation is even more hopeless for children, who are far less likely to wear their masks in conformity with industry standards and are far less likely to die from Covid anyway, why even bother?

Here are two highly-qualified scientists who have studied the available research:

They go over several of the relevant studies criticizing the methodologies used. Confirmation bias and other biases seem to be a common problem. Also, mistaking correlation for causality.

If I can summarize a bit. Masks only work at all when used properly and even if we did all wear them properly, the amount of protection seems to be negligible at best.

They feel that to justify requiring masks, the benefit would have to be far more clear and persuasive than the data is showing.

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