Masks? Lockdowns? Did it Matter?

[taiwan_girl]

Interesting article (at least to me) about the effectiveness of lockdowns, masks, etc.

The conclusion on whether or not they worked was a great big MAYBE. Too many factors made it hard to say if one states restrictions were better than no restrictions.

But, there actually were two agreeable conclusions from the people they talked to:

1. Mask wearing indoors was a definite good thing to do and helped
2. Detailed contact tracing would have really helped things (like was done in Taiwan)

California mandated masks. Florida opened its restaurants. Did any of it matter?

[Doctor Phibes]

In the long run, none of it matters. We'll all be space dust eventually.

[Horace]

I can speak for physically attractive people who were forced to hide our beauty behind a mask. It was not fair, and we will NEVER get that time back.

[LuFins Dad]

I enjoyed not having to trim my nose hairs...

[Jolly]

Did it matter?

For most people, no.

I think more important factors were population density, testing availibility and access to medical care.

[taiwan_girl]

@jolly said in Masks? Lockdowns? Did it Matter?:

Did it matter?

For most people, no.

I think more important factors were population density, testing availibility and access to medical care.

I would add to that:

• compliance
• timing (in that I mean when things happened. I believe that NY was hit quite early (for whatever reason), so by the time any restrictions were in place, it was already too late).

[Copper]

@taiwan_girl said in Masks? Lockdowns? Did it Matter?:

Mask wearing indoors was a definite good thing to do and helped

That might be true but I don't believe anyone has proven that.

The studies discussed at your link said that the mask mandate caused a reduction in cases. There are any number of things that happened as a result of the mask mandate. Give it a moment's thought and you could make a long list.

Those mandates went into effect along with closed schools, people working at home, stores closing and hundreds of other behavior changes.

None of these were actually measured.

[taiwan_girl]

@copper I have a question for you.

If absolutely NOTHING would have been done (for example, if we did not change any behaviors), do you think that

COVID cases would have been more, less, or the same?
COVID deaths would have been more, less or the same?

I obviously dont have an answer, but I respect your opinion and thoughts on this.

[Jolly]

@taiwan_girl said in Masks? Lockdowns? Did it Matter?:

@jolly said in Masks? Lockdowns? Did it Matter?:

Did it matter?

For most people, no.

I think more important factors were population density, testing availibility and access to medical care.

I would add to that:

• compliance
• timing (in that I mean when things happened. I believe that NY was hit quite early (for whatever reason), so by the time any restrictions were in place, it was already too late).

We're Americans. It is our God-given right not to comply.