I could show the same chart from a large number of states. It is really, really apparent that whether it is the timing of a mask mandate or actual mask wearing, there is no effect on slowing transmission. This chart is from Illinois, which requires wearing indoors and outdoors. Seriously, advocates are going to say that it could have been worse without the mandate? Give me a break.
Thanks again, Mr. Roche. This post and your More Fun With Numbers post are a great source of information and analysis. Unfortunately, I’m personally finding more and more people I share your facts with simply glaze over and (to use your excellent verb) bleat “Maaaaaaasks! Maaaaaaasks!”. There are more sheep now than critical thinkers, I believe. It’s really disheartening to find so many so willing to comply without a second thought—mindlessly chanting the mantra of the media and our IB.
Here in Connecticut we had an early (May) mask mandate for offices/stores/etc. For our offices i struggled to attempt to comply with isolating people so they wouldn’t have to wear masks at their desks. I also gave them the choice to wear masks or not (small office, plenty of real distancing etc.). Rapidly even the most germophobic of the them stopped. As Essential workers (electric power) our crew were traveling continuously all over the country as well as Mexico and Canada. No known Covid 19 cases.
My personal estimate is that there is a high compliance with masks in the state for indoor retail and big corporation offices. At restaurant tables and outdoors people reasonably completely give up on masks (< 10%).
Our Governor , Lieutenant Governor and both Senators are now isolating themselves since the Governors press director had a positive test. They are tested twice a week and at least in public are zealous mask wearers. But the best they could do was to say they have no idea where the Press director contracted the virus. Not a hint that maybe none of this is working.
The chart should really be positive test outcome. But the larger point remains – cold and flu season cares not a whit about the proclamations of bloviating bureaucrats. Certainly the advice to stay in your house as much as possible is likely the worst thing you can do for your health. I’ll stay indoors as much as possible during a blizzard, thunderstorm, etc. If it’s 26 degrees and sunny I’m going for a nice walk outdoors instead of using a treadmill indoors.
I was just forced by my employer to read a memo about face mask wearing, and its vaunted efficacy. Then I was told to check the agree box. If I disagreed I would not be on compliance with policy. Even with their mask policy we are have a case weekly at our metro locations.
And yet Fauci (and Tam up here) say masks will be worn even after a vaccine. Then they wonder why conspiracy theories are now popular. Heck, I’m now very suspicious.
By what logic would they state this publicly? Tam trumps out the usual tired tropes that ‘more and more evidence’ is showing the effectiveness of masks – without citing the studies of course. She’s on record as saying wear one during sex, wear layered ones and now she says ‘hold your breath’ for 15 seconds.
Bonkers. This is a PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL (she’s a physician who sits on the WHO panel) uttering this nonsense.
I Wonder what science she’s following.