Sometimes things are complicated.
Many factors matter when deciding whether it makes sense to wear a mask to fend off infection. Let alone whether it’s okay to compel others to do so.
Now add another question: whether it is ever okay to deliberately suppress discussion of these subjects.
I’ve talked about all this before. But on those occasions I could not yet point you to a lengthy Heartland Institute post by James Agresti on “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Masks, and the Deadly Falsehoods Surrounding Them.”
Once disparaged as ineffectual except maybe for hospital workers, the power of masking up was later drastically oversold by policy makers.
Agresti aggregates evidence indicating that COVID-19 is spread mainly by fine aerosols that can stay aloft a long time and easily penetrate most masks. But the evidence for mostly aerosol rather than big-droplet transmission was ignored or downplayed by the WHO and CDC for over a year.
Agresti also argues that trials of the effectiveness of masks in preventing infection are “inconclusive” with respect to N95 masks in clinical settings. And that these studies show no statistically significant benefits for any masks in “community settings.”
To combat aerosolized COVID-19, he recommends more extensive indoor use of UV disinfection systems.
Lots to talk about. Experts familiar with the research that Agresti canvasses often disagree. How about it, big-tech social-media firms. May we discuss?
Or must we stick to received dogma regardless of observations and logic?
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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1 reply on “Unmasking the Mask Debate”
Something never talked about is disposal of masks and handling of masks. If they in fact, catch droplets, then if you handle them the droplets get on your hands or any object the mask is parked on. Let’s consider 5 yr olds at school taking off and putting on their masks, using those same hands to handle objects in the class and their own faces, without washing hands first. Finally leaving masks on desks etc, during their “mask breaks” and lunch. Either there is no covid in the classroom and these masks are useless, OR these masks are deadly, contaminated and being taken home daily to family and loved ones using dirty hands to carry them, then most likely being brought back to the same classroom the next day. Any comments? Making children wear a mask and teaching them they will die or kill their mom’s if they take the mask off, is child abuse.