gas_dr has repeatedly said masks are not effective.
The mask issue was easy for most people to resolve for themselves, too, both conservatives and liberals. Some medical people exhibited a kneejerk reaction to short supplies of masks, blaming the general population.
Masks made from some kinds of cloth do baffle virus-containing moisture from coughs, sneezes, talking and breathing, similar to covering a cough with a hand or sleeve but more effectively. Like so many other activities, effective use depends on the knowledge and conscience of the user.
And viral loads matter. The greater the load, the likely infected and potentially more ill the recipient is likely to become.
At least some viruses become ineffective soon after leaving a host and being ejected into the air. They’re exposed to dryness and lose a protective coating. Thus, the “distancing.” That’s why so many of us didn’t catch flus or colds for so long.
It’s common, knowledge, but people whose incomes depended on particular services (like restaurants and bars) also didn’t like it and participated in propaganda campaigns with attempts to use false political associations, false accusations, name calling and insults to stop others from wearing masks. We all know what the same individuals will do, when a much more deadly virus comes along.
Now, let’s see what happens to those trashy services, permanently.
“gas_dr has repeatedly said masks are not effective.”
I remember when he said they were. He repeats CDC crap and then ducks when that propaganda fails.