Surgical masks work very well at preventing COVID

[Mik]

Thus saith Salon, which of course makes it immediately suspect.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/surgical-masks-work-very-well-in-preventing-spread-of-covid-19-biggest-ever-study-finds/ar-AAO7Zpp?ocid=msedgntp

[Jolly]

I find it suspect when the article starts with a picture of masks that I do not consider surgical masks.

[George K]

The Salon article merely cites the study from Bangladesh.

It's in "pre-print" and not peer-reviewed, yet.

@jolly....

I do not consider surgical masks

We never wore those types, but they seem to be the only ones available these days, so presumably, those were the types of mask in the study.

This is what I wore.

[Mik]

Pics or it didn't happen.

[LuFins Dad]

11%… 11% fucking percent and that’s settled science… The AZ treatment tested in showed a 30% improvement over placebo in testing a few months ago and was considered a failure.

Also, go in and actually read the study. It doesn’t say that masking slowed down the spread, it said promoting masking slowed the spread…

“mask promotion increases the use of face coverings and prevents the spread of COVID-19,”

“ Those who lived in those villages promoting the strategy were 11 percent less likely to develop COVID-19 compared to those living in the control villages”

We’ve discussed the flaws with this reasoning repeatedly.

1. this is such a random frigging disease, you could have a worker at a kissing booth be COVID positive and nobody catches it. You could also have an asymptomatic individual walk into a to and 90% of the people there will have the frigging thing two days later.

2. The very act of promoting mask wearing precipitates other types of intervention. People have a tendency of spending less time together in tight spaces. People end up being a little more diligent about sanitation when they are being reminded to wear a mask. They are less likely to socialize, they will spend less time in public spaces, and they’ll generally spend more time in smaller family groups than in larger public groups. That’s the impact of masks.

Put 1000 masked people in an enclosed room for an hour with x number of live viruses and put 1000 unmasked people in a room for an hour with x number of live viruses and tally the results. Of course, there may be some ethical problems.

I know, let’s have Mythbusters build a rig…

[George K]

@mik said in Surgical masks work very well at preventing COVID:

Pics or it didn't happen.

[Mik]

I KNEW you would have one.

[Jolly]

@george-k said in Surgical masks work very well at preventing COVID:

The Salon article merely cites the study from Bangladesh.

It's in "pre-print" and not peer-reviewed, yet.

@jolly....

I do not consider surgical masks

We never wore those types, but they seem to be the only ones available these days, so presumably, those were the types of mask in the study.

This is what I wore.

Nope, we can still get the regular tie ones with the shield layer. Our guys have taken to tying one over the N95.

[Loki]

Last Friday I watched someone enter the airport without a mask. 2 police officers came up to him and started a convo. He was loud and trying to walk away. In a couple of minutes a few more officers appeared. He was soon handcuffed and taken away. I don’t expect to see him at an airport anymore.

It was not really much of a spectacle. I suppose he will have continue to have narrowing options to take issue with masking.