What about self-induced lysteria?
You can’t know if the study is valid until you publish the study. Sounds familiar.
The study does not say what the anti-maskers are claiming it says. The anti-maskers argue that the claim of 100% efficacy of masks preventing the spread of covid is false so we should not use masks because somebody too stupid to clean them might get sick. All of that is BS. Masks prevent an infected person from spreading covid. Nobody is claiming they are 100% effective, but they are effective to a large degree. Some people just don’t want to wear them no matter how many people get sick. It’s that simple, and any excuse or straw man argument is good enough.
That still won’t stop the fraidy cats from requiring face diapers for those of US still fortunate to be employed.
Just maybe though, this masking crap will cease to be when Trump wins again as I believe the gloves will then come off.
“cannot start discussing what [the journals] are dissatisfied with, because in that case we must also explain what the study showed, and we do not want to discuss that until it is published.”
Circuitous.
I suspect “social distancing” on the order of > 1/4 mile will work quite well.
Combined with a 15 second interaction time with a cashier and life can go on.
Unless its rated N95, the vast majority of masks are worthless! Good for preventing spew, and little else. The question is how sick do they make humans.
One of the reasons to publish a study is to permit others to repeat the experiment and challenge or verify the results. Peer-review is not the 22 year-old FB “fact checkers”.
Yes mask nazis, keep telling us a mask will stop trillions of virus particles that are so small you need an electron microscope to see one.
High School biology should have taught you that.
Let us see the data.
The good news...masks do not restrict air flow, so “they” tell us.
Might explain why masks don’t work against corona...
It’s an air borne virus, which will travel through a mask with the same air the “powers that be” assure us will protect us.
Remember originally, we were told that they don’t work for the public at large, and health care workers needed them (because of certain medical procedures)? Did people really believe that-just like toilet paper people were stocking up on masks.
Since I had masks on hand anyway, I thought I’d use them if I went anywhere.
Trying it out at home - it made me dizzy and I felt like I was suffocating. So I did some research. Doesn’t really help and can have negative impacts.
Apparently it’s more important to keep your distance and practice good hygiene. So most of the time I don’t wear one.
I do wonder if the use of cloth masks/scarfs was somewhat driven by the psychological need for people and stop the drain on medical PPE.
So here’s one article I ran across.
Dr. Denis G Rancourt, PhD
researchgate.net
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:47 UTC
The Science is Conclusive: Masks and Respirators do NOT Prevent Transmission of Viruseshttps://www.sott.net/article/434796-The-Science-is-Conclusive-Masks-and-Respirators-do-NOT-Prevent-Transmission-of-Viruses
PHD’s Comment: The following review of the scientific literature on wearing surgical and other facemasks as a means of preventing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and thus preventing contraction of ‘Covid-19’ was published a month ago. And absent some miraculous suspension of decades of hard science on the transmission of viruses, it’s settled...
ABSTRACT
Masks and respirators do not work. There have been extensive randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies, and meta-analysis reviews of RCT studies, which all show that masks and respirators do not work to prevent respiratory influenza-like illnesses, or respiratory illnesses believed to be transmitted by droplets and aerosol particles. ...
Precautionary Principle turned on its head with masks
In light of the medical research, therefore, it is difficult to understand why public-health authorities are not consistently adamant about this established scientific result, since the distributed psychological, economic and environmental harm from a broad recommendation to wear masks is significant, not to mention the unknown potential harm from concentration and distribution of pathogens on and from used masks.
In this case, public authorities would be turning the precautionary principle on its head.
...
Dr. Graham, a surgeon of 30 years, stated that surgical masks, homemade masks, and kerchiefs do the following: 1)they allow free passage both ways (in and out), of Covid 19 virions 2) they become a warm damp or moist reservoir of Covid 19 particles.3)These absurd masks encourage the fomite transmissions of the virus.
The Dr. concludes:
“So go ahead an allow idiots to delude and misinform you to the false sense of security —and danger— of masks”.
MASK-FACTS—THEY-DON'T WORK — THE DISADVANTAGES
Randomized Controlled Trial: N95s vs medical masks in health care workers (HCWs) against influenza (2019).
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214
2862 randomized participants, 2371 completed the study and accounted for 5180 HCW-seasons.
Among outpatient health care personnel, N95 respirators (8.2%) vs medical masks (7.2%) resulted in no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza. 90% said they wore the mask all the time.
Review of N95 respirators versus surgical masks against influenza (March 2020, China).
https://doi.org/10.1111/jebm.12381
6 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 9,171 participants were included (2015-2020). There were no statistically significant differences in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza, laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infections, laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection and influenza-like illness using N95 respirators and surgical masks.
Austrian observation (August 2020)
https://corona-transition.org/maskenpflicht-brachte-in-osterreich-keinerlei-messbaren-nutzen (in German)
The introduction, retraction and re-introduction of mandatory face masks in Austria had no influence at all on the infection rate.
News report (August 13, 2020)
https://sentinelksmo.org/more-deception-kdhe-hid-data-to-justify-mask-mandate/
In Kansas, the 90 counties without mask mandates had lower coronavirus infection rates than the 15 counties with mask mandates. To hide this fact, the Kansas health department tried to manipulate the official statistics and data presentation.
Negative Effects of Masks
Air inside the mask is definitely stale. In filtering particles, the mask makes it harder to breathe.
Decreased PaO2
Stanford engineers estimated that N95 masks cause a 5% to 20% reduction in O2 intake. This can cause dizziness and lightheadedness. This can be life-threatening for someone with lung disease or with respiratory distress.
https://engineering.stanford.edu/magazine/article/covid-19-prompts-team-engineers-rethink-humble-face-mask
Health care worker study (2005, Scandinavia)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16441251/
37.3% reported face-mask-associated headaches, 32.9% reported headache frequency >6 times per month. 7.6% had taken sick leave from March 2003 to June 2004 (mean 2 days; range 1-4 days) and 59.5% required use of abortive analgesics because of headache.
Health care worker study (2009, Japan) with similar headache results as Scandinavian study (above).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19216002/
Observations during SARS suggested double-masking and other practices increased the risk of infection because of moisture, liquid diffusion.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4420971/pdf/bmjopen-2014-006577.pdf
Recent study (in German) cultured 82 bacterial colonies & 4 mold (fungoid) colonies from a child’s masks after 8 hours of wear.
https://twitter.com/MMaccruiskeen/status/1307266527662669825?s=20
“Mask mouth”
Reported by dentists. https://nypost.com/2020/08/05/mask-mouth-is-a-seriously-stinky-side-effect-of-wearing-masks/ ;
Wearing masks increases dryness, which leads to decrease in saliva. It is the saliva that fights bacteria. Result is decaying teeth, receding gum lines and seriously sour breath. Gum disease — or periodontal disease — will eventually lead to strokes and an increased risk of heart attacks.”
World Health Organization (WHO), June 2020
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/332293/WHO-2019-nCov-IPC_Masks-2020.4-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
“The likely disadvantages of the use of mask by healthy people in the general public include:
potential increased risk of self-contamination due to the manipulation of a face mask and subsequently touching eyes with contaminated hands;
potential self-contamination that can occur if non- medical masks are not changed when wet or soiled. This can create favourable conditions for microorganism to amplify;
potential headache and/or breathing difficulties, depending on type of mask used;
potential development of facial skin lesions, irritant dermatitis or worsening acne, when used frequently for long hours;
difficulty with communicating clearly;
potential discomfort;
a false sense of security, leading to potentially lower adherence to other critical preventive measures such as physical distancing and hand hygiene;
poor compliance with mask wearing, in particular by young children;
waste management issues; improper mask disposal leading to increased litter in public places, risk of contamination to street cleaners and environment hazard;
difficulty communicating for deaf persons who rely on lip reading;
disadvantages for or difficulty wearing them, especially for children, developmentally challenged persons, those with mental illness, elderly persons with cognitive impairment, those with asthma or chronic respiratory or breathing problems, those who have had facial trauma or recent oral maxillofacial surgery, and those living in hot and humid environments.
Psychological Damage in Children (September 11, 2020).
https://www.world-today-news.com/70-doctors-in-open-letter-to-ben-weyts-abolish-mandatory-mouth-mask-at-school-belgium/
70 Belgian doctors begged for cancellation of mask mandate at school.
‘The mandatory mouth mask in schools is a major threat to their development. It ignores the essential needs of the growing child. The well-being of children and young people is highly dependent on the emotional connection with others.
The mouth mask obligation, on the other hand, makes the school a threatening and unsafe environment, where emotional connection becomes difficult. ‘In addition, there is no large-scale evidence that wearing face masks in a non-professional environment has any positive effect on the spread of viruses, let alone on general health.
*******************
I am against a national mandate. Missouri has a number of counties that have had less than 100 cases for the entire time — mandating masks for such counties is totally not needed. The Democrat Urban areas of course do have mandates here-so we don't voluntarily go to the city.
Our county has had less than 100 hospitalizations and only 14 deaths. Many of those were from a congregational setting related to nursing homes, prison, and school graduation.
Plus the politicians and bureaucrats need to get their nose out of what the Dr. and patient feel is the best treatment for this disease. Ridiculous that Governors overruled what Dr. would be allowed to write prescriptions for.