Masks work when used properly.
What the previous studies actually showed was that masks don’t work when not used properly (eg wearing s mask under your nose…).
This is the hard part. The article suggests what you really need is something 99% of the general public doesn't have -- fit-tested N95s or full face respirators.
Did we read the same article? It makes no mention of that at all. Literal quote: "Non-RCT evidence also shows that masks work and respirators work better."
Yes, I’m with Robert here
Even medical or cloth masks, widely applied, can have huge population level effects
(I note that I said this about a year ago to Isaac Bogoch on twitter and was rewarded with yet another Toronto star editorial about what a jerk I am)
Didn’t we kill an entire line of flu virus by wearing garbage masks? I was wearing home made ones at that point. Now I have an elastomeric one which I prefer for comfort reasons.
I especially loved how one way masking was supposed to be sufficient for the immunocompromised yet magically wouldn’t translate to a “population level”.
The real argument is people don’t want to wear them. Instead of wasting energy arguing they don’t work, they should argue for the tools that would ⬇️ their need. Maybe then we could all live happily ever after.
Yes.
Each measure of proper use though diminishes the probability of transmission.
Everyone in congregate settings>a few alone> etc.
It’s terribly unfortunate that this, along with vaccines & anti-science, has been politicized & made part of the culture wars.
I have a respirator that I bought and used for my yarn dyeing work. It's easy to use, although bulky and not very comfortable.
Keeping an N95 properly on my face was actually a lot harder -- that's why I bought the respirator.
"A review of masks and respirators, that looked only at clinical trials, concluded that there was not enough evidence to assess whether mask wearing reduces the risk of spreading or contracting respiratory diseases. However, we disagree with that."
It's a good point - maybe the politicians trying to have masks banned should be asked if that ban would extend to all doctors and nurses? How would they answer this?
I have no idea. Masks were a thing long before covid. I remember going to walk-in clinic for a cold like 10 years ago, and they made me wear one cause I was coughing. No one complained or anything. It was just logical.
The messed up thing is that now I see far fewer masks in health care settings around here since 2020. It's really made me question a lot of people I previously respected
Even the nurses in the infusion clinics where they give chemo, and one of them told me she thought she didn't need any more shots, as well, wasn't getting the latest Covid vaccine 🤷♀️ they've gotten to the healthcare workers and doctors we used to respect. Because it comes from the top.
Sure, but those are a different kind of mask. Surgical masks doctors wear protect against fomite/droplet transmission, not aerosols. They're better than nothing, but N95/KF94 are necessary. The mask disinformation is to undercut employer/government liability for death, disability & chronic illness.
They also don't have to provide their employees with N95s so convinced them that a surgical mask was enough, if you HAVE to wear a mask. Saved themselves a ton of money!!!
