Do Masks Work?

City -journal ^ | August 11, 2021 | Jeffrey H. Anderson

[Hojczyk]

Surgical masks were designed to keep medical personnel from inadvertently infecting patients’ wounds, not to prevent the spread of viruses. Public-health officials’ advice in the early days of Covid-19 was consistent with that understanding. Then, on April 3, 2020, Adams announced that the CDC was changing its guidance and that the general public should hereafter wear masks whenever sufficient social distancing could not be maintained.

Fast-forward 15 months. Rand Paul has been suspended from YouTube for a week for saying, “Most of the masks you get over the counter don’t work.” Many cities across the country, following new CDC guidance handed down amid a spike in cases nationally caused by the Delta variant, are once again mandating indoor mask-wearing for everyone, regardless of inoculation status. The CDC further recommends that all schoolchildren and teachers, even those who have had Covid-19 or have been vaccinated, should wear masks.

In sum, of the 14 RCTs that have tested the effectiveness of masks in preventing the transmission of respiratory viruses, three suggest, but do not provide any statistically significant evidence in intention-to-treat analysis, that masks might be useful. The other eleven suggest that masks are either useless—whether compared with no masks or because they appear not to add to good hand hygiene alone—or actually counterproductive.

Of the three studies that provided statistically significant evidence in intention-to-treat analysis that was not contradicted within the same study, one found that the combination of surgical masks and hand hygiene was less effective than hand hygiene alone, one found that the combination of surgical masks and hand hygiene was less effective than nothing, and one found that cloth masks were less effective than surgical masks.

[Blennos]

Against viruses, no.

I do wear a N95 mask sometimes when mowing or sanding to avoid dust and pollen. For this use, it does work fairly well. But some dust does get through nevertheless.

[Pollard]

dust masks work — for dust

surgeon’s masks work — to keep the surgeon’s spittle out of your innards when you’re opened up

bandanas work — for bank & stage robberies

homemade masks work — as a fashion statement

[Triple]

The very common blue 2 loop masks do not prevent transmission of viruses or bacteria.

It is plainly written on most of the boxes.

Cloth masks are less effective.

[lightman]

Masks work VERY well,
when,
it’s all about teaching COMPLIANCE….
...not following “science”:

Masks are:

1) a sign of submission, subversion and subjugation
2) mandated in order to dehumanize
3) virtue signaling devices
4) meant to provide constant reinforcement of fear
5) used to destroy community, friends and family normal communication
6) implemented to create isolation, confusion, anxiety, destroy human connectivity, trust and interactions
7) mandated to exacerbate illness
8) intended to aid in the abandonment of the belief and reliance on our immune systems
9) intended to refute integrous science
10) signal to positions of power that you are willing to give up all of your rights and freedoms based on anything they say, even if it is a BIG FAT LIE!

[libertylover]

In sum, of the 14 RCTs that have tested

It ticks me off when they don't define their TLAs (Three Letter Acronym).

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

[Ceebass]

Do Masks Work????

For viruses no. That question’s been asked during flu epidemics for the last 20-30 years. Honest studies (not the rigged ones they do now) showed no benefit in reducing flu virus.

I remember an old expression from the army. “Do something even if it’s wrong.” In other words the appearance of action, even if counterproductive, was better than to sit and do nothing.

I think that’s a significant rationale behind these stupid mask mandates.

[1Old Pro]

I think that’s a significant rationale behind these stupid mask mandates./I>

Viruses spread airborne. If you avoid close indoor spaces with people for lengthy periods that's half the battle right there.

[gloryblaze]

It’s just remarkable that, so far into this godforsaken situation, this question remains.

[DannyTN]

I think they work.

Not to prevent illness altogether but to lessen the amount of innoculum you breath in when you first get exposed. And that can make a big difference in how much time your system has to ramp up a response.

So I hermit. Because I’m not going to get exposed when I am hermitting.

And I wear a mask when I go out, not in the belief that I’m 100% protected, but because I believe it will block some of the particles, and I’m less likely to get a severe case of covid.

Delta however does ramp faster than Alpha did, generating much higher viral loads according to one of Peak Prosperity’s videos this week.

[Atticus]

I have to believe that good masks (N100, N95 and even Chinese KN95s), properly worn, may reduce the amount of virus inhaled into the nose and mouth and hence may be beneficial in the right circumstances. But the fact that any face covering, however flimsy and ineffective, qualifies as a “mask” proves to me that mask mandates are unscientific and a joke.

[eastexsteve]

Masks by themselves don’t fully protect you.

[Jayster]

You are wrong. Do your research

[billyboy15]

“Do something even if it’s wrong.”

In the 50’s when I used to work for my brother in the Summer (construction” he used to say this exact thing to me. I never realized it came from when he was in the Army in 1952-54.

[DannyTN]

I’ve done plenty of research.

[billyboy15]

I guess if one wanted to take the most extreme example then maybe what you say about paper masks providing “some” protection is possible.

But it is like saying if you use a cyclone fence as a window screen can “sometimes” prevent a mosquito from entering if the buy smashes itself against the wire.

By all means wear a mask if you think it will help but at least don’t delude yourself the way you seem to be doing.

[Jayster]

No you haven’t.

You are a fool.

[Red6]

Of course they work.

For what they were intended!

If you replace them constantly (~10-15 minutes) before they become saturated.

If you replace them between patients.

They work to stop the spread of what they were “designed” to stop, which does not include a virus 80 nm in size.

NIH document: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7357397/#:~:text=Surgical%20masks%20showed%20penetration%20levels,the%20200%E2%80%93500%20nm%20range.

At 300 nm, or 3.5 TIMES the size of a Covid virus, you get ~ 55% filtration. Now consider the virus is actually about 1/3 that size!!! Hahahaha

Laughable BS.

But the real questions are:

-—”do you feel like you’re in control?”

-—”did a leader show decisive action?”

The mask isn’t about stopping the spread. It’s about feelings and demonstrating leadership in crisis.

Remember Obama suggesting we fill our car times when asked about his national energy policy? Yeah, it’s about that stupid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akjXqfvLu28

That’s what it’s about!!! You have to give people something to do. You have to make them feel like they have control (otherwise they get scared). You have to show as a leader that you made a decision (even if it’s stupid like demanding old folk homes take back positive patients)...

Retarded, but that’s where we are at today in America.

[Red6]

times = tires