The only reason to keep beating on this is because we don’t want to be subjected to the same futile, stupid measures in the future when another inevitable epidemic comes. Masking became a flash point because it was a symbol of the government’s power to force the populace to do really stupid things. We have repeatedly shown, based on Minnesota data, that at a statewide level, masking had absolutely zero impact on case levels, in fact, there was a much higher rate of cases after the mask mandate was implemented than before. Masks create a false sense of security, actually collect the virus and likely encourage both infection of the wearer and transmission of the virus to others, and are environmentally dangerous. But, yeah, lets go ahead and force people to wear them.
The only real randomized trial of masks showed zero impact on infection rates. Proponents ginned up all kinds of phony research to claim they did work, but again, the macro level data shows they didn’t. Somehow basically every American got infected despite being forced to wear face masks. This study, by authors who tracked this issue very carefully over time, does an outstanding job of debunking the worst of the pro-masking research, demonstrating the methodological flaws which led to misleading results. The specific study at issue involved forcing children to mask at school. The study used what is called a difference in differences method to compare schools with mandates at varying times. The original study claimed masking made a big difference. The reanalysis shows it did not, and that masking may have even increased the number of infections. Never again!! (Annals Study)
I looked at the Boston study shortly after it came out. The one item that I noticed at the time was that the masked schools had a temporary reduction in cases that lasted 5-6 weeks but that gap (reduction in cases) began to close after the 5-6 week point and would completely closed the gap after another approx 4-6 weeks such that there was no difference in case rates between masked schools and unmasked schools. The only reason the gap didnt close completely was that the school year ended.
One of the major problems in analysis of mask effectiveness is adjusting for other factors. In the case of transmission of any respiratory virus, reduction of time of interaction with other people has a significantly greater benefit in reduction of transmission risk than masking. Individuals who wore masks tended have much greater fear of covid than non mask wearers, as such they would spent less time in contact with other individuals. I have not seen any study that takes other variables into account, much less accounts for a variable that has a significantly greater effect than masking.
Thoughts
exactly right
My brother work with sheet rock and the associated taping all his life. His comment on masking even with an n95 mask you still get the dust from sanding the joints in you nose. If it cant stop that dust how can it stop a virus so much smaller than any dust particle. Inquiring minds want to know. Educated idiots will say it does.