Okay, I admit to being confused about the efficacy of masking. I see many comments about how masking is basically useless, and yet I see studies that say the opposite. I totally understand the resistance to mandates, just want to know whether masks work or not so I can make my own informed decision. From the studies I've seen it seems cl…
Okay, I admit to being confused about the efficacy of masking. I see many comments about how masking is basically useless, and yet I see studies that say the opposite. I totally understand the resistance to mandates, just want to know whether masks work or not so I can make my own informed decision. From the studies I've seen it seems clear that masking can help, done properly. (One such study linked below.)
A point that I think important to make is that whatever the efficacy of masking in reducing infections, it matters more to certain groups. In other words not so much to children, a great deal to those aged 65+ and to other vulnerable people. Even a relatively small protection for a vulnerable person can be a big deal, and the studies I've seen range from 5% to 20% reduction in infections.
Your thoughts?
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"Mask wearing in community settings reduces SARS-CoV-2 transmission"
Interesting. Thanks. Ironically, my first reaction was “listen to two guys talking about medical politics for more than an hour? Who has time?” I don’t. But listen I did anyway, and found the time worth it. Once.
I say that because, as entertaining as they were, they were giving opinions. Opinions which they claimed were backed by data, but I find data that contradict their opinions. Masks for toddlers? A bad idea and an easy target. Masks for adults and vulnerable people? Important and validated. I much prefer peer-reviewed published studies to anyone’s opinions.
In addition, a number of contemporary scientists have called Prasad’s writings “specious and ignorant”, containing “mistruths” and “misleading statements”, and said that they “lean heavily on pushing people’s emotional hot buttons”. In other words, not exactly someone to trust.
So, for me, back to studies and not listening to opinionators. :-) One example, below, a large-scale study on the effectiveness of masking - not on mask mandates.
Okay, I admit to being confused about the efficacy of masking. I see many comments about how masking is basically useless, and yet I see studies that say the opposite. I totally understand the resistance to mandates, just want to know whether masks work or not so I can make my own informed decision. From the studies I've seen it seems clear that masking can help, done properly. (One such study linked below.)
A point that I think important to make is that whatever the efficacy of masking in reducing infections, it matters more to certain groups. In other words not so much to children, a great deal to those aged 65+ and to other vulnerable people. Even a relatively small protection for a vulnerable person can be a big deal, and the studies I've seen range from 5% to 20% reduction in infections.
Your thoughts?
--------
"Mask wearing in community settings reduces SARS-CoV-2 transmission"
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2119266119
web search: "VPZD mask"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI1KU5rsThI
Interesting. Thanks. Ironically, my first reaction was “listen to two guys talking about medical politics for more than an hour? Who has time?” I don’t. But listen I did anyway, and found the time worth it. Once.
I say that because, as entertaining as they were, they were giving opinions. Opinions which they claimed were backed by data, but I find data that contradict their opinions. Masks for toddlers? A bad idea and an easy target. Masks for adults and vulnerable people? Important and validated. I much prefer peer-reviewed published studies to anyone’s opinions.
In addition, a number of contemporary scientists have called Prasad’s writings “specious and ignorant”, containing “mistruths” and “misleading statements”, and said that they “lean heavily on pushing people’s emotional hot buttons”. In other words, not exactly someone to trust.
So, for me, back to studies and not listening to opinionators. :-) One example, below, a large-scale study on the effectiveness of masking - not on mask mandates.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2119266119