New mask RTC just dropped

[murox]

Surprise, N95s don’t work either. Imagine being a person who has worn a mask for 3 years and taken 5 vaccines and the only thing to show for it is 6 bouts of Covid and dead heart tissue.

Medical Masks Versus N95 Respirators for Preventing COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers: A Randomized Trial: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 0, No 0

Background: It is uncertain if medical masks offer similar protection against COVID-19 compared with N95 respirators. Objective: To determine whether medical masks are noninferior to N95 respirators to prevent COVID-19 in health care workers providing routine care. Design: Multicenter...

www.acpjournals.org

 

[-CarlHungus-]

I haven't read the full text yet...

On a population level it's just so hard to show a mask is going to make a difference. In my experience spread amongst staff happens in work rooms/break rooms where you have to eat and take off your mask. Or happens at home when little kid brings it home.

This study though shows that a model or mechanism of action (N95s blocking air flow/particles much better than a surgical mask) in the real world often don't have efficacy. The same goes for many drugs and other medical interventions.

It is shameful that we hadn't run these trials as well as trials on paxlovid for vax'd, boosters, etc.

The gold standard for evidence is a randomzied trial.

It would have been nice to have had a third arm on the trial (no mask), but the "science" is settled that a mask is necessary so that probably wouldn't have gone past IRB.

 

[murox]

I haven't read the full text yet...

On a population level it's just so hard to show a mask is going to make a difference. In my experience spread amongst staff happens in work rooms/break rooms where you have to eat and take off your mask. Or happens at home when little kid brings it home.

This study though shows that a model or mechanism of action (N95s blocking air flow/particles much better than a surgical mask) in the real world often don't have efficacy. The same goes for many drugs and other medical interventions.

It is shameful that we hadn't run these trials as well as trials on paxlovid for vax'd, boosters, etc.

The gold standard for evidence is a randomzied trial.

It would have been nice to have had a third arm on the trial (no mask), but the "science" is settled that a mask is necessary so that probably wouldn't have gone past IRB.

It was well known and studied prior to the covid hoax that community masking for influenza-like respiratory pandemic is useless. There were a dozen masking RCTs and the CDC released a meta analysis on those RCTs in 2019, all concluding masking was not recommended.

In almost 3 years, there's not a single example on earth where the trajectory of the virus was altered by masking. Just another control mechanism, exacerbating the anxiety and stress of those who are easily duped and manipulated.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

It was well known and studied prior to the covid hoax that community masking for influenza-like respiratory pandemic is useless. There were a dozen masking RCTs and the CDC released a meta analysis on those RCTs in 2019, all concluding masking was not recommended.

True.

Covid though was airborne so a little different than influenza.

We answer these questions with randomized trials though. Should have been done earlier but glad someone did it. THe UK is about to do it with paxlovid in vax'd people. If that study is negative we literally gave away over 8 billion dollars to pfizer for a drug that doesn't work. Fauci could have run that study way quicker here but he wasn't interested. instead we just gave that drug to everyone. It may very well have been the right thing to do, but you don't know until you run the trial.

 

[murox]

True.

Covid though was airborne so a little different than influenza.

We answer these questions with randomized trials though. Should have been done earlier but glad someone did it. THe UK is about to do it with paxlovid in vax'd people. If that study is negative we literally gave away over 8 billion dollars to pfizer for a drug that doesn't work. Fauci could have run that study way quicker here but he wasn't interested. instead we just gave that drug to everyone. It may very well have been the right thing to do, but you don't know until you run the trial.

If influenza is spread by droplets, and covid by aerosols, it gives more support to the "masks don't work for covid" argument. Masks can actually catch larger droplets, but smoke-like aerosols don't have a chance to be stopped.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

If influenza is spread by droplets, and covid by aerosols, it gives more support to the "masks don't work for covid" argument. Masks can actually catch larger droplets, but smoke-like aerosols don't have a chance to be stopped.

In the end the physics don't matter. Complex behavioral interventions >>> the lab /physics of the mask.

Wearing it properly, what you do at home, what you do after work, places you go, where you eat. Unless you go draconian it's just soooo hard to stop a respiratory virus. You only just kick it down the road and pay the piper at some point.

I give a lot of grace to early covid alarmists. I was pretty frightened too. Italy looked like a warzone.

But things changed, we learned what to do (don't vent early, etc), who it impacts the most....but the religious fervor for non pharmacologic interventions was set in stone.

 

[WV-FAN]

i'm thinking i have covid now. my sister was at dinner with us saturday and text me sunday evening to let me know she's positive. i've been good so far but suddenly this afternoon coming down with a headache and joint pain.

. . . then again, it could be DT's setting in. haven't been on a good drunk since thursday.