Masks Reduce COVID Infections by 53%

[Toro]

It blows my mind that this is even a thing.

A post or two ago I mentioned a meta-analysis about masks and forgot to include a hyperlink to the study. I know many of you are looking for it, so here it is. In short, the authors pooled 72 studies to assess how different public health mitigation measures (like masks, socially distancing, handwashing, etc.) impacted COVID19 infection. They found that some public health measures don’t really work. But, mask wearing reduced COVID19 infection by 53%. (For the record, this isn’t the only publication that shows masks work. For example, here are three studies that show they work well in schools.)​

​

Mask effectiveness is certainly dependent on the type of mask, though. This is why a layered approach (vaccine, mask, ventilation, testing) is crucial, especially in light of Omicron. The Wall Street Journal published a great graphic earlier this week comparing the protection of different types of masks:​

​

(WSJ)​

A quick note on masks and CDC guidance...

Masks A post or two ago I mentioned a meta-analysis about masks and forgot to include a hyperlink to the study.

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

 

[Circe]

No mask mandates. Ever.

 

[pknopp]

Argue it all you want but people are not going to go around with medical or multiple masks on. I am not taking a side, I'm just stating what is going to and what is happening so we can work to deal with those facts or beat your head against a wall.

 

[gipper]

I bet your mind gets blown a lot.

 

[Mac1958]

But, mask wearing reduced COVID19 infection by 53%.

Sounds about right.

Of course, in TrumpWorld, if it's not 100% effective always, it's never effective, at all, ever. And it's fake news. And a conspiracy. And Hitler.

 

[Circe]

Argue it all you want but people are not going to go around with medical or multiple masks on. I am not taking a side, I'm just stating what is going to and what is happening so we can work to deal with those facts or beat your head against a wall.

I don't think we can predict what will happen in the future because, you know, it hasn't happened yet.

I wouldn't have correctly predicted ANYTHING that has happened since 2016.

There have been a lot of mask mandates already, so there could be more if people don't STOP this, by not cooperating. And sure, it'll be more and more severe masking, double masking, air-tight hard-to-breathe masking, on and on, all to show the power of the government.

This is like Daylight Savings Time. The government trains people that they can control our time: and now that they can control our breathing. Government is like cats: they love training people. If we cooperate, they'll do it more and more and more until everything we do is under government control.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

It blows my mind that this is even a thing.

A post or two ago I mentioned a meta-analysis about masks and forgot to include a hyperlink to the study. I know many of you are looking for it, so here it is. In short, the authors pooled 72 studies to assess how different public health mitigation measures (like masks, socially distancing, handwashing, etc.) impacted COVID19 infection. They found that some public health measures don’t really work. But, mask wearing reduced COVID19 infection by 53%. (For the record, this isn’t the only publication that shows masks work. For example, here are three studies that show they work well in schools.)​

​

Mask effectiveness is certainly dependent on the type of mask, though. This is why a layered approach (vaccine, mask, ventilation, testing) is crucial, especially in light of Omicron. The Wall Street Journal published a great graphic earlier this week comparing the protection of different types of masks:​

​

(WSJ)​

A quick note on masks and CDC guidance...

Masks A post or two ago I mentioned a meta-analysis about masks and forgot to include a hyperlink to the study.

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

You will upset the idiots with this information.

 

[Toro]

There are some other interesting findings. They conclude that closing businesses generally reduces transmission only slightly, same with school closures, and taking one's temperature before entering doesn't really do anything.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

I don't think we can predict what will happen in the future because, you know, it hasn't happened yet.

I wouldn't have correctly predicted ANYTHING that has happened since 2016.

There have been a lot of mask mandates already, so there could be more if people don't STOP this, by not cooperating. And sure, it'll be more and more severe masking, double masking, air-tight hard-to-breathe masking, on and on, all to show the power of the government.

This is like Daylight Savings Time. The government trains people that they can control our time: and now that they can control our breathing. Government is like cats: they love training people. If we cooperate, they'll do it more and more and more until everything we do is under government control.

\do you think surgeons should stop using masks when they operate ?

 

[pknopp]

I don't think we can predict what will happen in the future because, you know, it hasn't happened yet.

Are people wearing masks? No. Are people who wear masks wearing the ones suggested here? No.

Are people going to? If you want to argue that in some time in the future thousands of people may just start dropping over dead and then people will wear them, argue that but I am discussing what is, not what might or might not be in some future case.

I wouldn't have predicted ANYTHING that has happened since 2016.

There have been a lot of mask mandates already, so there could be more if people don't STOP this, by not cooperating. And sure, it'll be more and more severe masking, double masking, air-tight hard-to-breathe masking, on and on, all to show the power of the government.

This is like Daylight Savings Time. The government trains people that they can control our time: and now that they can control our breathing. Government is like cats: they love training people. If we cooperate, they'll do it more and more and more until everything we do is under government control.

The courts will soon decide whether there will be mandates. Until then it's all just guess work.

 

[eagle1462010]

2 years MASK MASK MASK.........RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA..........

Fuck the daman masks and this never ending BS.

 

[AMart]

Public and patient involvement​

No patients or members of the public were directly involved in this study as no primary data were collected. A member of the public was, however, asked to read the manuscript after submission.

In the comment section of this link this study is getting destroyed by peer review. Effectiveness of public health measures in reducing the incidence of covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and covid-19 mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis

 

[pknopp]

There are some other interesting findings. They conclude that closing businesses generally reduces transmission only slightly, same with school closures, and taking one's temperature before entering doesn't really do anything.

Which brings up an interesting point. These things are what the "experts" told us to do but they really didn't work so now when the "experts" say something people say Pffftttt.

 

[Circe]

Are people wearing masks? No. Are people who wear masks wearing the ones suggested here? No.

Are people going to? If you want to argue that in some time in the future thousands of people may just start dropping over dead and then people will wear them, argue that but I am discussing what is, not what might or might not be in some future case.



The courts will soon decide whether there will be mandates. Until then it's all just guess work.

That's what I said, that it's all guess work, if it's about the future.

But there are local mask mandates in counties and cities all over where I live!! I'm lucky my county is so far holding out. And since 2020 we've often had mask mandates, even here. It's a dangerous situation. We could easily be trapped into forced public mask wearing for years or decades.

 

[Otis Mayfield]

This is how even the simplest masks reduce COVID. They catch the spittle that comes out of your mouth.

If someone is infected, and they wear a mask, they won't spread the virus as easily.

It's been over a year, you all should know this.

If we all wore masks from the beginning, there would over a 100,000 people still alive.

 

[Mac1958]

You will upset the idiots with this information.

They just deny it. It never even seeps into their brains.

 

[pknopp]

That's what I said, that it's all guess work, if it's about the future.

But there are local mask mandates in counties and cities all over where I live!! I'm lucky my county is so far holding out. And since 2020 we've often had mask mandates, even here. It's a dangerous situation. We could easily be trapped into forced public mask wearing for years or decades.

I don't think that unless people do just start falling over dead by the thousands that people are going to accept any real mandates. As you note there are fairly weak requirements here and there but people for good or bad are pretty over it all.

 

[eagle1462010]

This is how even the simplest masks reduce COVID. They catch the spittle that comes out of your mouth.

If someone is infected, and they wear a mask, they won't spread the virus as easily.

It's been over a year, you all should know this.

It's been 2 years.........we don't give a shit anymore.

 

[gipper]

This is how even the simplest masks reduce COVID. They catch the spittle that comes out of your mouth.

If someone is infected, and they wear a mask, they won't spread the virus as easily.

It's been over a year, you all should know this.

If we all wore masks from the beginning, there would over a 100,000 people still alive.

I doubt that. It is impossible to wear a mask 24/7. Even those diligent often take it off or lower below the nose. You have to remove it to eat and drink. Plus if you wear the same mask for awhile, it becomes loaded with bacteria that you are now inhaling.

 

[Circe]

I don't think that unless people do just start falling over dead by the thousands that people are going to accept any real mandates. As you note there are fairly weak requirements here and there but people for good or bad are pretty over it all.

Wow, I can see you don't live in or near Maryland!! It's bad here, severe mask mandates all over. And in New York and California, apparently.

As for people falling over by the thousands, we do have 825,000 dead. I know that's not what you meant, though --- I think you meant the kind of epidemic people would have NOTICED in previous decades and centuries. This one would never have been perceived at all without all the modern statistical analysis, good record-keeping, and instant wide communications.