To be masked or not to be masked

Baggsy said:
Disagree. Can you cite some good studies that show the benefits. Anecdotal evidence doesn't suffice.
Click to expand...
Sure, how about the most prestigious science journal in the world. Face masks for COVID pass their largest test yet

“Face masks protect against COVID-19. That’s the conclusion of a gold-standard clinical trial in Bangladesh, which backs up the findings of hundreds of previous observational and laboratory studies.1.”

You should probably then look at reference #1.

Here’s another metanalysis ( a review of a large number of studies) Airborne transmission of COVID-19 and the role of face mask to prevent it: a systematic review and meta-analysis - European Journal of Medical Research

Here’s yet another metanalysis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196655320310439

Once you’ve finished those I can provide some more if you like. All with the same conclusions.
 
Last edited:
MacDoc said:
A little common sense should also prevail....masks are worn in surgeries ...why would that be ? :coffee:
Click to expand...
As an extension, most medical staff changed to N95s now because of the enhanced protection. As the science progresses and we get more information, those that are informed change their habits and work practices too.
 
At one point last month, children were admitted to Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital with a startling range of seven respiratory viruses. They had adenovirus and rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus, influenza and parainfluenza, as well as the coronavirus — which many specialists say is to blame for the unusual surges.
“That’s not typical for any time of year and certainly not typical in May and June,” said Thomas Murray, an infection-control expert and associate professor of pediatrics at Yale. Some children admitted to the hospital were co-infected with two viruses and a few with three, he said.
More than two years into the coronavirus pandemic, familiar viruses are acting in unfamiliar ways. Respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, typically limits its suffocating assaults to the winter months.
Click to expand...

You reallllllllly don't want to get this virus even if your symptoms are mild
www.theatlantic.com

Long COVID Could Be a ‘Mass Deterioration Event’

A tidal wave of chronic illness could leave millions of people incrementally worse off.
www.theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com

Prevalence of ongoing symptoms following coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the UK - Office for National Statistics

Estimates of the prevalence of self-reported long COVID and associated activity limitation, using UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey data.
www.ons.gov.uk
 
Last edited:
DownUnder said:
I'll just leave this here... new study in the new England journal of medicine. Vaccinated/boosted people are staying sick and contagious for longer then the unvaccinated....

www.israelnationalnews.com

New study: COVID booster significantly delays end of infection

31% boosted people still contagious 10 days post-infection vs. 6% unvaccinated.
www.israelnationalnews.com www.israelnationalnews.com
Click to expand...

This includes the new Moderna Fall scheduled vaccine that has significant protection from BA5 announced recently? (Hint, it does not).

also “The study did not deal with the severity of illness with or without a vaccine.” It says zero about sickness.

also Arutz Sheva (Israel National News) so the filter that is presenting the study tends to use “loaded words” to describe those studies.

So whereas a segment of society perceives things like this to be a “gotcha” moment for proponents of vaccinations, the actual case needs a more subtle read.
 
Last edited:
DownUnder said:
I'll just leave this here... new study in the new England journal of medicine. Vaccinated/boosted people are staying sick and contagious for longer then the unvaccinated....

www.israelnationalnews.com

New study: COVID booster significantly delays end of infection

31% boosted people still contagious 10 days post-infection vs. 6% unvaccinated.
www.israelnationalnews.com www.israelnationalnews.com
Click to expand...
As a first cut, if the dodgy "news" source references "an article" without providing authors or a link or a date or really anyway to review the source material (obviously NEJM may paywall it but link to article to allow you to pay is good enough) and then picks and chooses parts of said article to report, you can reasonably assume the "news source" is publishing inflammatory garbage.
 
The key is to avoid the filter. Unfortunately as soon as you do that, if you’ve been relying on said filter and have been agreeing with what that filter says because of a personal bias, then things may well start to get uncomfortable for you.
 
jc100 said:
Sure, how about the most prestigious science journal in the world. Face masks for COVID pass their largest test yet

“Face masks protect against COVID-19. That’s the conclusion of a gold-standard clinical trial in Bangladesh, which backs up the findings of hundreds of previous observational and laboratory studies.1.”

You should probably then look at reference #1.

Here’s another metanalysis ( a review of a large number of studies) Airborne transmission of COVID-19 and the role of face mask to prevent it: a systematic review and meta-analysis - European Journal of Medical Research

Here’s yet another metanalysis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196655320310439

Once you’ve finished those I can provide some more if you like. All with the same conclusions.
Click to expand...
And previous trials, pre-pandemic, with respect to the flu.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Face Mask Use and Control of Respiratory Virus Transmission in Households

Many countries are stockpiling face masks for use as a nonpharmaceutical intervention to control virus transmission during an influenza pandemic. We conducted a prospective cluster-randomized trial comparing surgical masks, non–fit-tested P2 masks, ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
jc100 said:
Sure, how about the most prestigious science journal in the world. Face masks for COVID pass their largest test yet

“Face masks protect against COVID-19. That’s the conclusion of a gold-standard clinical trial in Bangladesh, which backs up the findings of hundreds of previous observational and laboratory studies.1.”

You should probably then look at reference #1.

Here’s another metanalysis ( a review of a large number of studies) Airborne transmission of COVID-19 and the role of face mask to prevent it: a systematic review and meta-analysis - European Journal of Medical Research

Here’s yet another metanalysis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196655320310439

Once you’ve finished those I can provide some more if you like. All with the same conclusions.
Click to expand...
Wait, I was going to cite that prestigious study for use against wearing cloth masks, which is the current standard.
 
Baggsy said:
Wait, I was going to cite that prestigious study for use against wearing cloth masks, which is the current standard.
Click to expand...

That’s very outdated science now….see how it works? Since N95’s have come down in price and there are plenty of comfortable ones (like the Aura) there’s no reason not to use them. Current advice is that as long as you don’t contaminate the interior of the mask you can wear an N95 more or less until the straps break.
 
Wait, I was going to cite that prestigious study for use against wearing cloth masks, which is the current standard.
Click to expand...
uhhh no it's not the current "standard" ...it might be what people are choosing to wear but there is no "standard" in cloth masks.
Surgical mask is minimum, N95 and up recommended.
I wear my surgicals until they get too gross ( usually 3-4 times )
 
Rob MacLennan said:
My mother just passed. She was in hospice for her last few days. The second day that I visited, when I was leaving, a family was doing the intake of their mother. One of the four people was an anti-vaxxer who was loudly proclaiming that Covid was fake, they shouldn't bother with testing or masking, and should just push past the very kind woman who was trying to help them. It was all that I could do to keep myself from punching her lights out. Elder care and hospices were a nightmare for Covid outbreaks and I didn't want my mother's last days to be even worse than they might have been.
Click to expand...
The anti vaxxer was using volume to compensate for ignorance. Condolences about your mother.

I was visiting a shut in friend today and his anti vaxxer son lives with him. Since he doesn't get out much and isn't internet able he is at the mercy of his son's rhetoric. I have to bite my tongue a bit.

I can make up more lies in five minutes than anyone can disprove in five days. It's hard to prove a negative. A BSer will bury you in an arguement because they have an endless supply of crap.

One of the problems is that not everything in medicine works like an adding machine. With an adding machine, if it miscalculates any one of a billion calculation, the machine is defective. With Covid we have to accept less than 100% "Proof" We have to substitute statistical data for proof.

The drug industry also has to accept partial responsibilty for the doubt in some people's minds. They are profit driven companies, not humanitarian organizations. They have more than their share of skeletons in their closet.
 
I do when I go into pay for gas ( no pay at the pump here) ...Full face helmet with the visor down does the job. :D
Cashiers are still behind plexiglas

With Covid we have to accept less than 100% "Proof"
Click to expand...
There is no 100% proof ....scientists still test Einstein and evolution.
Once in a while they get "accepted wisdom" wildly wrong as with the Missoula Badlands.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom