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Why I’m Not Wearing A Mask

With a transmission rate of only 0.2% in an active social arena, wearing masks in a casual environment does not reduce flu infection rates

COVID-19 mask. (Photo: Wikipedia)

San Diego County health officials recently ordered that everyone wear face coverings “anywhere in public when they come within 6 feet of another person” starting May 1, 2020. I  do not plan on complying because the scientific research says it does not help and may actually harm people.

Mask wearing is ordered in an earnest attempt to reduce coronavirus infections. It’s explained that donning a mask means the infected will spread less virus and the uninfected will be less likely to be infected. Maybe most importantly it will reduce transmission by those who are infected but do not know it because they are at early infection stages or simply never show symptoms as happens with about 50% of those infected.

While this seems logical, the science says it is false. Wearing masks does not reduce influenza infection rate according to an examination of 10 studies looking at this claim. To determine the effectiveness of a procedure requires a randomized controlled test (RCT). Within a population some are given the treatment and others not. By comparing the two populations one can determine if the protocol is effective.

The Center for Disease Control did a pool analysis of 10 RCTs that examined the impact of face masks on reducing influenza infections within a community. They concluded that these studies “found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks.” These studies covered a wide range of environmental settings from University dorms to households, but the results were the same across them all.

“There is limited evidence for their [masks] effectiveness in preventing influenza virus transmission,” they found. This applied to masks “worn by the infected person for source control OR when worn by uninfected persons.” They unambiguously concluded that there was “no significant effect of face masks on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”

Since we know that flu viruses are spread through aspiration, coughing or sneezing, such a result would seem to defy common sense. However it is explainable when examining more closely how the flu spreads. It is spread through continuous extended close contact, and not casual connections.

Research by the National Center for Immunization Research and Surveillance in Australia shows that transmission in COVID-19 infected people, even in close contact with others in a high intensity school environment, is tiny. They arrived at this conclusion by identifying 18 COVID-19 infected individuals and tracing their movements from March to Mid-April 2020. Nine infected students and 9 infected staff across 15 schools were followed. Collectively they had 862 close contacts over this time period. A “close contact” was defined as face to face contact for 15 minutes or in the same room for a minimum of two hours with an infected person. Those in close contact were tested via swabs or blood tests. Of the 735 students and 128 staff members who came in close contact with these 18 cases only 2 infections were identified

With a transmission rate of only 0.2% in an active social arena such as a school without masks, it’s easy to see how wearing masks in a casual environment would not reduce flu infection rates. Specifically since the likelihood of infection from a brief interaction such as a store is so small masks are irrelevant. 

It’s reasonable to ask if there’s possible harm from mask usage. Anyone who has worn one while painting or construction or any extended period of time knows they quickly become moist and slimy, which is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Pathogens trapped in the mask have ideal conditions to grow exposing the wearer to an increased risk unless the mask is disposed of after every use or chemically disinfected.

One study looked at 1607 medical care workers and found that cloth masks lead to higher respiratory infection rates. “The rate of influenza-like illness is statistically significantly higher” with cloth masks they concluded. Disturbingly, COVID-19 is an influenza-like virus which attacks the respiratory system, so it’s possible cloth mask wearers may have a higher rate of contracting COVID-19. They speculate that, Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.” 

There’s much we’re learning about this pandemic, but the best science we have shows that mask wearing will not reduce transmission because casual contact is not a common source of transmission. Furthermore the cloth masks that many are resorting to may actually increase the likelihood of an infection achieving the exact opposite of the intended result. I call on health officials to look more closely at the science and withdraw their order for mask wearing because the data says it will do more harm than good to residents. 

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Michael Robertson: Michael Robertson is an accomplished technology entrepreneur, founder of the digital music company MP3.com, and founder and CEO of OnRad.io - a Google like search engine to find any station, artist or song playing in the radio world.

View Comments (304)

  • Glad to see this article. I won't wear a mask --- which will probably become a problem soon --- because we are being made to wear them as a symbol and manifestation of fear. Our lying leaders want that culture of fear to be maintained ---- even as the science clearly shows that the masks are not necessary and may even be harmful.

    • Who are the lying leaders? The President is the lying leader.! The VP had a call with all the Governors. It’s not red or blue. Nice try playing the blame game.

      • How would the DNC's Racist Organized Criminal Enterprise stay in business without it's low IQ Uneducated Useful Idiots the likes of you?!?

        • What. Wrong. With. This. World. No. One. Wants. To. Look. Like. A. Clown. Wear. Mask. The. Corona. Was. Made. In. China. In. Chinese. !ab. I. Will. Never. Wear. Mask. It. Is. My. Right. I. Have. Family. Any. Friends go. To. Store. For. Me.

          • WHAT IRREFUTABLE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE CAN YOU POINT TO THAT VERIFIES AND PROVES THIS, SO CALLED, SARS-COV-2 (COVID19) VIRUS EXISTS?!!!
            FOR IT TO EXIST, CORONA VIRUSES WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY STABLE AS THEY UNDERGO INTRACELLULAR REPLICATION!!! THAT IS CORONA VIRUSES WOULD HAVE TO BE
            NON RAPIDLY MUTATING VIRUSES AS
            THEY UNDERGO INTRACELLULAR REPLICATION THAT
            DON'T MUTATE INTO INCREASINGLY LESS ORGANIZED, THEREFORE, LESS VIRULENT VIRUSES AS THEY MUTATES OUT OF EXISTENCE WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 4.5 MONTHS!!!

        • Fauci lied about masks! He said not useful, then flip flopped. Pic of him with mask halfway off at a baseball game recently says it all.....

          • I. Have. Never. Worn. Face. Mask. Not. For. Me. My. Mom. Said. Any. One. Wears. Face. Mask. Looks. Likes. There. Going. To. Attack. Someone. I. Have. Rights

        • President. Trump. Said. He. Will. Never. Wear. That. Piece. Of. Crap. Face. Mask. Why. Should. We. Get. Bugged. To. Wear. The. Mask. Any. One. Wear. Mask. Look. Crazy. Mask. Are. For. Loosers

          • I. Hate. Face. Mask. And. The. World. To. To. Controlling. I. Have. Family. And. Friends. Go. To. Store. For. Me. I. Don't care. About. Going. In. Any. Stores. If. I. Have. To. Wear. Mask. Drugee. Like. Wearing. Face. Mask. That. Why. They. Don't. Mind. Wear. Mask. I. Will. Put. That. Mask. On. My. Nose. And. Mouth. I. Could. Not. Breathe. If. I. Had. Mask. On. If. Any. One. Is. That. Stupid. And. Thinks. Face. Mask. Will. Do. Something. There. Drugee. Loosers

          • I agree! We have rights! We weren't born with masks on our faces! People need to educate themselves. Covering your face up for long periods of times and over this cause of time can and WILL cause long term breathing issues. It's in the science people open your fucking eyes! Stop being sheep and DO YOUR RESEARCH. Face masks unless used for hospital reasons (surgical masks for nurses) should NOT be worn like this! You are decreasing the amount of oxygen into the lungs and you are re-breathing in your own carbon dioxide. I'm exempt luckily but even if I wasn't I wouldn't wear one. I don't give a shit. What's the point in trying to save the stupid percent of the population by killing ourselves in the process. People of dying WITH Corona not BY Corona. My family work for the NHS and it's common knowledge there! You are all crying over what the media and what the puppets are telling you. Live your own fucking life, grow a pair and say NO. And if you don't and argue back against those of us who use our free will and rather not die by face mask then not being funny but I couldn't care less you can die of an asthma attack if you like but I already have severe asthma so see how I care. Bye Felicia.

          • and what ended up happening you retarded fuck? oh right. Millions of people dead because of dubasses like you who probably say vaccines are bad and we should stick to natural healing. Also you ass hat, the lopsided orange you call president is wearing a mask.

        • STORE. WORKERS. RESTURANT. WORKERS. STOP. BUGGING. HUMANS. TO. WEAR. DRUGEE. FACE. MASK.

        • Its bigger than the president. The 1% are behind this. Trump's only one making sense in your weird country.

        • Wow, you are an idiot, Michael. Where’s your medical degree? Yeah that’s what I thought. Stick to technology, instead of cherry picking “facts” from a field you clearly know nothing about. It calls into question your so-called expertise in your chosen profession as well.

        • Do. We. Have. Rights. Yes. Then. Why. Do. We. Have. To. Be. Told. To. Wear. Mask. In. Stores. Restaurants. Shopping. Malls. They. Are. To. Control. Want. To. Boss. Every. One. I. Will. Never. Wear. Face. Clown. Mask. What. Wrong. With. This. Bossy. World. Mask. Make. People. Like. There. On. Drugs. They. Do. Not. Look. All.there

      • How about a common sense view?
        There were 8 deaths from corona virus in the whole state of California when every school was shut down. The shutdowns were never justified. The original goal of securing the hospitals were met and yet the power hungry were never satisfied.

        • Debra. Right! Lets just look at the facts. NO REAL SCIENCE proves that wearing a mask reduces viruses. There are many case studies with influenza. INCONCLUSIVE! Leaning toward. No, it does not help. .008 is lower than influenza related deaths.....it has a vaccine! (Of course it's no guarantee, just like a vaccined for this would be no guarantee....) Damn it's so obviously a control, mind game! Symbolically it's very obvious too. Shut up! Don't speak to each other. Isolate! Sounds like communism and brainwashing to me.

          • how is wearing a mask brainwashing you? Its no different than wearing glasses you wear everyday and you may not kill 1 more persons grandmother it seems fairly simple to help out...

          • Then why does Kapan lead the world in fewest Covid and Flu cases per capita. 90 percent of the population there wears a mask every winter.

          • Lana you're clearly a mask enforcing, person judging, gonna-get-asthma-worse-than-i-do-when-this-is-over shit stain. Go rot somewhere. Fucking Tory.

          • Totally agree Susan. And Rich - never heard of subliminal messaging? They've got you walking round like fucking idiots wearing a piece of fabric that has more chance of making you die of a severe asthma attack than stopping a WAY OVER EXAGGERATED "virus". Come the fuck on and educate yourselves. The higher ups have been doing it for years. Television literally means tell lies to your vision. This isn't conspiracy it's a well known fact. Look it up. I didn't believe this stuff before till I did and now I'm like how the fuck have I been living with my eyes closed all this time. Watch the movie "They live" says it all. And no movies are not just movies. This shit happens and it's happening now and you can die from carbon dioxide poisoning due to you not being able to exhale your own breath efficiently but I DAMN WELL AM NOT.

          • Also Rich - you are brainwashed. It's a flimsly piece of fabric. It cannot stop a spread of a virus but it will restrict your breathing. What you call simple, I call torture. Btw people do have physical and MENTAL health issues. Masks are fucking horrible to someone like me who suffers severe mental health issues if someone so much as puts their hand near my face I'd break it off.

        • you also have the right to get very sick and die. now i think you would not like that , or would you? because it seems like you would. if you were not ok with getting sick and DIEING you would stop being so fucking prideful and put on your god damn mask!!you want to be able to go out in public and not have social distance the put on your mask! PLEASE!

          • I'm glad this article is out. I did not wear a mask all last year and never got sick. My frist week back to work where they make it mandatory to wear a mask i got sick. They said i got covid i don't know if i did i felt like i had a cold. I got sick from wearing a mask probably in part that I touch my face way more now that I wear a mask. I work in the movie industry and just makes me mad I am forced to do something that doesn't work and actually made me sick. I hope more people read this article. Because I don't know how much longer I can do this because I'm getting sick again

          • Why would i give away my freedoms to protect myself against a virus that has less than a one percent chance of killing me. It makes absolutely no sense to me why all you sheeple are following these fear mongering mandates so willingly.

      • Why. Don't. You. Drugee. Smart. Mouths. Go. Get. A. Job. Worthless. Piece. Of. Crap. When. You. Drugee. See. Some. One. With. No. Face. Mask. Stop. Calling. Them. Cuss. Names. If. Humans. Do. Not. Have. To. Wear. Drugee. Face. Mask. It. Is. None. Of. Your. Businesses. Stop. Yelling. And. Cussing. People. Out. That. Will. Never. Have. To. Wear. Drugee. Face. Mask. Grow. Up. Retards.

        • Because Amazon is the only place hiring for jobs and unless you are a seller and or working from home, wearing a damn mask is required. Which is so ridiculous since Amazon created this stupid virus. Whether it was on purpose or not needs more investigating.

      • You are stupid mindless and compliant and will do whatever the mainstream media tells you to, because in all of this you have lost the ability to think and reason. You have the right to remain clueless, but the rest of us will fight for the truth and I am making that my mission, starting today, starting with you.

    • We'll soon find the results of Darwin's Theory when all the non-mask wearers pass the virus among themselves.

        • Agree Dr. Faz. Herd immunity is being heard loud and clear here! The only thing that makes sense. It's not the black plague. That has been proven even with the skewed numbers they are feeding us!

        • I. Will. Never. Wear. Mask. I. Hate. Any. Thing. On. My. Face. I. Feel. I. Can't. Breathe. If. I. Wore. One. Store. Workers. Are. Rude. I. Was. Told. By. A. Friend. Restaurant. Workers. Are. Rude. To. Any. One. Eat. In. Restaurant. This. Dum. Corona. Was. Made. Up. In. China. In. A. Chinese. Lab. How. It. Got. All. Over. The. World. Chinese. Are. Not. All. There. They. Steal. Dogs. Boil. Them. Alive. Touch. There. Fur. Off. Eat. Dog. Cook. The. Dogs. Live. On. Cook. Out. That. So. Sad. This. Fake. Corona. Is. Making. People. Sad.

          • The bizarre way you are writing your posts is extremely irritating...or perhaps that was your intent. In any case, we are NOT impressed!!

          • ugh, people like you are so fucking delusional and retarded mentally and physically shut the fuck with your failure of life a dumbass just say you can't afford a fucking mask and get on with your day everyone knows your a broke fuck go live in your dumpster truck and go suck my dick in a prostitution site cuz we know broke bitches like you can't make money in an ethical way red neck little shit.

      • Darwin's theory is a survival of the fittest...Which would suggest that all the mask wearing idiots are of the lower end of the fitness/intellect scale. They are obviously afraid of building up a significant immune system response, afraid of biological evolutionary change, and afraid of being healthy through immunity. Mask wearing is akin to anti-vaccination... It serves as a false sense of security. We have a CFD analysis to show that a mask causes the same amount of respiratory droplet dispersal as not wearing a mask, the only change was in its dispersal pattern. As a mask is worn longer and respiratory droplets are condensed on the subsurface and surface of the mask. This creates a film of condensation on the exterior and interior of the mask, reducing any effectiveness it may have had. As a normal person cannot wear a mask correctly or avoid touching the mask hundreds of times in a day, they have just created enough cross contamination to actually be worse than someone sneezing freely into the air. We have gone from a society that was able to build up natural immunity to a society that is plagued by fear and ignorance. People swoon to the tune of "may have an effect," which really means there is zero evidence to support it will do anything. Even papers that are supposedly used to validate the "masks are effective" claim, only state that a mask "COULD" help... Could implies opinion, it does not constitute evidence. A mask is a one time use device, not something that should be work the second you leave the house and continue to put it on, take it off, adjust it, play with it, shove it in your pocket, wear it half-assed, pull it down to speak, etc... You wear a mask for the social interaction where you CANNOT avoid being in someone's bubble, and practice good hygiene. Don't touch it, don't reuse it, don't play with it. The length of time you can wear a mask before its compromised depends on the amount of water vapor in your breath. Ergo, over time a mask is no longer effective; ergo, continued use of a mask throughout the day is ineffective. If you are afraid of a virus, don't leave your house. If you are high risk of experiencing a severe reaction, don't leave your house. If you could potentially spread it to someone who is high risk...Don't leave your house. Common sense has left the world and been replaced with mob mentality and a lack of understanding.

        • Alex i love your comments. I hope this reaches far and wide. it seems that the heard mentality is if you don't have a degree or phd in science your opinion isn't valid. Survival of the fittest! the strong will survive. we are all here because our ancestors survived countless wars and plagues. we will live on without mask and be stronger. we will die off as a race if we wear mask and don't allow our systems to become immune.

        • Well said. My family will not be wearing masks everywhere in public for 2-3 years as Canada's wonderful Dr Tam is now suggesting . We will continue to get outside and be active everyday, eat well, and fear less.

      • So if the author of this article gets severely ill or dies from the virus I will have zero sympathy for then

        • he has a 99% chance of Survival. You aren't seeing the bigger picture. This is about control. Go back to Hither days. One personal liberty at a time. My body my choice. You worry about you, I'll worry about me

          • That is so right on. I am more than tired of this push to think about your neighbor, do the right thing, keep others safe. We are now in everyway being told that we are responsible for the safety and health of everyone everywhere. Everything we do has to be with that in mind. When did we stop being responsible for ourselves? When did it become the norm for sick and unhealthy people to sit there and do nothing while the rest of us cater to them, avoid them, mask up for them, spend our entire day and life plan on how to keep everyone else safe from this virus? Like the guy above said, if you are fit and healthy and have strong genes and immunity and also a positive outlook on your health you will survive as your ancestors passed that down to you. Those who won't have weakness and poor health, most of the time due to poor decision-making, poor life and health choices and living extremely high-risk or sedentary existences. Those who are in that is not our responsibility.

      • Pity true Darwinism doesn't really exist anymore as you wouldn't be here to make that stupid comment! Honestly there is ko virus at all, no extra deaths, people who have the alightest symptom that we would normally lable a cold or chest infection are instantly labeled as a CV case, to boost these fake figures, even in the ONS (uk national statistics) the extra deaths that are shown come with a caveat that the registered death may be counted twice is more than one cause is on the death cert. As for masks they are inherently bad for you and you shouldn't ware one unless the enviroment you are in dictates it such as surgery, clean room electronics, or hazardous enviroment and even in those it should be the shortest time possible and not doing anything strenuous. If you are pushing your self where your heart rate and breathing increases you should have a reciruclator mask to increase air flow, and even these shouldn't be worn for prolonged instance because your are still putting your heart and lungs under extra strain, increasing your CO2 intake and reducing your O2 sats (ignore the whole sitting round wearing your mask videos by moronic doctors who seem to forget the basic principle that any hindrance to your airways will increase how hard your body works to breathe especially when up and about!) Not to then go on and mention its a huge breading ground for pathogens, a nice moist warm enviroment! Again these masks should only be work in clean environments and disposed of after a short use.

        • Hate when stupid people who dont understand the concept of pseudo science try to pass it off as real, like they are not just repeating someone elses ignorant crap they overheard. YOU ARE NOT AN EXPERT because you heard someone say something that supports your decision to be a dumbass. Your uneducated ignorant life choices put us all in danger and make us all look stupid to the rest of the world. I wish you all would just die. There is no point to argue here. Its a stone cold fact. This virus is real, science is real and there are things we can do to stop it; like wearing a mask but people like you dont understand facts and science. You should be denied help when you get sick. And dont even start that individual liberty crap as anyone who can critically think sees the flaws in that argument. You cant walk down the street pointing a gun at people and say its your right and not wearing a mask to prevent a deadly virus is assault just the same. Really, there is no logical reason to not wear a mask. You just want to complain and say look at me Im the intelligent one when really your the dangerous ignorant one who society needs to be rid of. Your type will argue with anyone about anything and make Americans look so stupid to the global population. It is embarrassing. Youre probably a holocaust denier too.

          • You are one of the most self righteous, pathetically stupid, and hopelessly moronic people who ever made a comment in a comments section of anything ever. I would say that "i hope you just die" but i would never ever say that about anyone for any reason whatsoever, but especially not about people exercising their RIGHTS AS FREE PEOPLE TO NOT WEAR A GD MF-ING MASK WHEN THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR ANYONE TO BE WEARING ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE OTHER THAN FOR TYRANNY AND CONFORMITY AND OBEDIENCE AND COMPLIANCE. Keep running off at the mouth about wishing people dead and see how much you like your Karma Sandwich that comes with that you Twit.

          • What randomized study reflects that mask wearing is truly effective? Haven't found one yet. I know several families now where only 3 out of 5 family members got covid. How easily does this thing really transmit when family members staying in the same house; eating in same kitchen, sometimes sleeping in same bed, breathing the same air, etc., fail to transmit to other family members. Seriously, common sense says your not going to get covid unless you are coughing or breathing directly on someone. Why do you think this thing was so rampant in the nursing home. Because when your bathing someone, feeding that same one, assisting with bathroom activities, that is exactly what you are doing. Furthermore, according to CDC provisional death counts, 96% of copied deaths in US had an average of 2.6 underlying conditions. So like some one said if you are worried about covid stay home. Order your groceries online. CDC numbers say your just not going to die unless you have an underlying condition. Go look it up CDC provisional death data under age and sex.

          • Not saying anything one way or another everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I work in a grocery store deli we have mandatory masking 90 % of people grab their masks touch their faces wear their masks below their noses and I imagine it’s like that in most cities just an observation

          • To: Science is Real, You are seriously brainwashed and too indoctrinated to realize you suffer from serious cognitive dissonance.

          • Science is real: you're the one who makes Americans look stupid love. I'm English and all we say is how fucking dumb people like you are in America forcing shit you don't have proof of upon others. You're calling people out for FACTS where are yours? What you've just heard from the 'who' or whatever the fuck they're called. Brainwashed Hun, you're fucking brainwashed. Good luck being a slave to your own free will cause you have NONE.

      • The non mask wearers, like myself, will thrive because we haven't destroyed our immune system. I've never worn a mask or even used hand sanitizer, and I haven't even had a common cold in over two years. The media and the government has everyone believing you will die if you get covid. Trying to use fear to control us. The truth is this virus isn't any more dangerous than anything else we've faced before. The statistics on the amount of deaths are completely false because no matter how someone may die, if they test positive for covid they consider it a death due to covid just so hospitals can get money. Just like everything in this world, it's all about money.

        • You ignorant asshole! Go visit a hospital where medical staff are overworked and struggling to find hospital beds and equipment due to being over capacity. I hope all you non-mask wearing, online doctors, catch this virus!!!

          • and like the others said 96% (do you realize that is almost all of them?) that are there "due to covid" have underlying conditions that are the PRIMARY reason they are there, aggravated by covid and covid infected because of their pre-existing sickness. Those people would likely have been there ANYWAY and are because they didn't stay home or they allowed others to come into their home without using caution. If they are sick and want to remain unexposed as much as possible it is up to them to exercise caustion and concern over their lives, it is not up to the rest of the world to be on the lookout for them. We are all responsible for our own choices and actions, and the consequences of those, both good and bad. We cannot continually go around blaming everyone else for our bad luck, our situations, our accidents. It is just the way things work, and the sooner we all realize and own up to our responsibilities for ourselves, the sooner things will begin to move in a more positive direction. The longer we continue this little sheep waiting for our shepherd to say move, or to say don't move, and we continue to fail to exercise our God-given common logic and realistic view of the world around us, the longer this shit will go on. Does anyone know how to think anymore? And don't act like you know what the reality is or try to tell someone who demonstrates being responsible and owning that we make our own choices ultimately that they are an asshole. Only assholes would say that because they are too ignorant to get the truth for themselves, so they just spit out nonsense. Kinda like the telephone game, you pass along what you think you are hearing but in reality it is completely off by the time it reaches the end of the line.

          • Zoltan you're dumb af. My family work at hospitals and it's no more over run than normal. People sat in a&e cause they got pissed and fell off a curb. Stop reading the news and get our your wet blanket of a life.

      • Excellent point... this points to the purpose of viriluses in nature. Though the studies are being censored, there are a growing number of scientists and physicians revealing that the little packet of coded information, called a virus, is actually natures way of distributing genetic upgrades amongst the population. It has been suggested that nature is attempting to modify all species to adapt to the earth changes occuring across the globe. Just as your computer receives updates to programming, nature is distributing updates to all life on the planet. We should be allowing the virus to do what it was designed to do in order to create the collective upgrades within all populations.

    • spot on - but likes of Judy Mikowits and others will be deleted off mainstream agenda ridden media

    • You honestly cannot be this stupid. Wearing a mask is a "symbol and manifestation of fear"? Seriously? You had better throw out all your fire extinguishers and never put on your seat belt again. For safe measure, disable your air bags too.

      • There is a reason why nurses only wear n95s. They even appeared in the news protesting hospitals only giving surgical masks

    • Well put! Manifestation of fear on our part, active suppression of Smiles, Ease of Speech, Breathing - on the part of the authorities against us!

    • Hooray!!! God bless us EVERYONE. I TOO WILL NOT BE WEARING ANYMORE MASKS!! FINALLY... someone else who can READ !!
      PUT ME IN JAIL.

    • You guys are all ignorant and childish. Can’t comply with rules for everyone’s safety, and cherry picking “scientific data” to support this ridiculous assertion. First off, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19) are not the same. They do not spread in an identical manner and do not bind to human cells in the same way, nor to the same degree. So, taking any study of influenza and trying to apply it directly to a novel/hybrid bat coronavirus is not scientific and will not yield results that are true or correct. Secondly, the facts on masks that you use are purely in reference to cotton cloth masks, the most useless mask for prophylactic use, but a design that can aid in reducing transmission, and, as the article correctly stated, most importantly it can reduce transmission by unwitting silent spreaders, who are asymptomatic and/or have such mild symptoms they do not seem to have COVID-19. These are now known to be up to 70% of “positive” cases! I don’t know why that study in Australia found that the 2019 novel coronavirus does not spread readily nor rapidly. There are plenty of studies that have been conducted, many of them peer reviewed or in prepublication to be reviewed, the majority of which find the opposite to be true. I would venture to guess that the testing that found only 18 (or whatever the number was) community-spread cases is faulty, administered wrongly, or the students and faculty were particularly healthy and live in an area with ample Selenium occurring naturally in their diet, and the virus simply hadn’t been able to replicate enough at the time of testing to cause a positive result. This doesn’t mean the virus suddenly has a way lower rate of transmission than all the other studies and data show. I do wish there was more info out there about the link between selenium levels and the development of hospitalization-level COVID-19 in people exposed to the virus. There’s a very clear link between ample selenium levels and survivability in people who have been exposed to SARS-CoV (SARS), MERS and SARS-CoV-2. The areas with lowest levels of ambient selenium are the same areas with highest levels of deaths and ICU admission relating to these SARS-type coronaviruses.

      I digress. My point was that this article assumes too much, and conveniently highlights narrow slices of data to support its conclusion. If people keep their masks clean, or use disposable masks, the “danger” of masks causing respiratory infections and other issues is very remote. Is using common sense and being hygenic too much to expect from grown adults? It seems you think so, since apparently masks are a health hazard. Don’t forget, doctors perform surgery wearing masks. Do you think they are being irresponsible and risking their health? Oh wait. Those aren’t cloth masks! Which was my point. Not everyone is wearing cloth masks. One last question - if masks literally make no difference in reducing transmission of airborne/aerosolized viruses, why do doctors wear them when they’re performing surgery? If the mask reduces contamination and infection via tiny droplets that are exhaled from the medical professional’s mouth and nose, why would they be ineffective at lowering the transmission of coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 via the same mechanism? I could go on forever but you get my point , I trust.

      • You want to fall prey to this simpering, fearful tripe, be my guest. I will have no part of it. Besides, if that face diaper works that well for you then you don't need sheeplike compliance from me.

      • i will not wear a mask its to stupid and manipulated control . you wear it into a restaurant then take it off with everyone in the place not wearing one , how dumb can you be, are there any animal contracting CCV any birds ?

      • You can go on but you don't have anything real to go on with. you are using bits and pieces of information that is not relevant to your claims. like the surgeons and staff wearing masks. that is to keep the operating field sterile. Mostly from BACTERIA, not viruses. they are not the same. They have been doing that for centuries. And additionally when HIV/AIDS was rampant, gloves and masks were worn, particularly in medical settings where blood and body fluids might be exchanged due to orifices or possible skin abrasions and cuts. This practice is relatively recent and has nothing to do with respiratory spread of viruses, so you need to make sure you are making relevant comparisons when you spout out your opinions. And masks, the data is too wishy washy to be meaningful enough to use as a guide to mandate their use. Besides how many people can wear it for any length of time without touching it, adjusting it, lowering to talk when someone can't hear you, taking it off when they are in their car, to eat, drink, etc. It is not humanly possible to keep that on all day without doing those things. If we were meant to live that way we would have been born with a mask or our whole face would have been created differently. And if you logically break down any arguments for the ineffectiveness of masks in the general community, you will see that they all make much more sense and sound much more reasonable than any argument that they are helping contain the virus. And I might add: IF THEY ARE HELPING TO CONTAIN THE VIRUS THEN WHY IS IT STILL SPREADING AND CASES CONTINUING TO RISE? And don't say because people don't wear them right. That is not an option. You need something better than that. Go on.

    • You people are stupid sheep. There's evidence by the CDC and Mayo Clinic showing it helps reduce droplets in the air. But by all means read one article from a crap site and take it as the truth... Idiots

    • I hope all of you who dont wear masks die and there will less of you idiots out there.
      Use your brain please, if masks dont work why doctors or dentists use them? Asia has way less covid now because people wear masks! You guys are idiots.

      • No, you are a cowering, stupid sheep that will follow anyone over anything and cannot think for yourself. Moron.

        WAKE UP, AMERICA.

      • Best response I've read!!! Assholes don't wear masks. Go visit the understaffed, overworked healthcare workers in hospitals and tell them this bullshit about not wearing masks! These people care about nobody. Go fight our wars you maskless, fearless, ignorant, assholes. I bet most of you took the damned stimulus money!!!

      • You know if you are of a lesser quality human being, you will die regardless of whether or not you wear a mask. Wearing one really only does one thing: tells the world you feel you are a lesser quality human being and you are trying (uselessly) to protect yourself. The rest of the world does not need to wear a mask because of their built in higher quality of being human. It's not defiance that drives that, it is superior knowledge and logical understanding of survival of the fittest. So sorry.

    • Whatever, put on a freaking mask, how hard is that, what is the problem with people. I do not like wearing a mask either but I do it because, I do not want to be that one person, inside let's say a home depot, who is not wearing a mask and looking like an idiot. I do not want people looking at me, saying things about me, maybe even confronting me, I do not want an employee telling me in front of everybody to put on a mask or leave the store, or wherever you may be. What you non wearing mask people are, you need Drama, you go out without a mask hoping someone says something to you so you can get into it with them, you need that drama and attention, you need people talking about you, pointing at you, whispering to each other about you. Let's sum it up right here, (Cluster B personality disorders represent those people who seek—if not revel in—drama, become worked up over small problems, and tend to see themselves as the center of their all-too-frenetic universe)

    • I'm glad this article is out. I did not wear a mask all last year and never got sick. My frist week back to work where they make it mandatory to wear a mask i got sick. They said i got covid i don't know if i did i felt like i had a cold. I got sick from wearing a mask probably in part that I touch my face way more now that I wear a mask. I work in the movie industry and just makes me mad I am forced to do something that doesn't work and actually made me sick. I hope more people read this article. Because I don't know how much longer I can do this because I'm getting sick again

    • Face masks are a joke, you sneeze in them cough in them. I there are idiots who believe they work stay home I am free and will not wear ready to move out Oregon!!!

      • What a misleading article that is being perpetuated by misinformed public. The study he points to studied the difference between surgical masks and cloth masks, they did not have a "no-mask" control group. The authors have even responded stating as such. At best this article is misinformed click bate and it could be intentionally misleading and dangerous.

        • Speaking of 'misinformed public' and 'checking sources', I guess that means you already called the coronavirus hotline and found out that covid19 is nothing more than the common cold from 2019. How misleading and dangerous to not buy into the fear porn!!

    • Pat yourself on the back Steve. A true hero. The genuine article. We are all so proud of you. Yup

      • Why. Do. Some. People. Think. Face. Mask. Is. The. Best. Face. Mask. Is. Garbage. On. The. News. It. Said. No. One. Should. Be. Wearing. Face. Mask. On. The. News. It. Said. Face. Mask. Can. Make. Not. Breathe. With. That. Garbage. Face. Mask. On. Your. Nose. And. Mouth. If. All. You. Ding. A lungs. Want. To. Wear. Garbage. Face. Mask. You. Will. Look. Like. A. Drugee

      • Regardless, wearing any mask for prolonged periods of time outside of either a clean enviroment (surgery, clean rooms etc.) Will result in a build up of pathogens giving them a nice breading ground and easy access to your nose and mouth, not to mention your breathing rate will increase to compensate for the fact you have something over your Airways, regardless if its a bit of cloth or if its a surgical mask. Even when the benefits outlay the negatives (wearing one for surgery or in a hazardous enviroment) it should be done for short as time as possible and preferably not while exerting your self as this vastly increases the strain on breathing, (I wore one last week as I was cutting wood up for a fence and had to stop every 5 mins as I couldn't breathe, my o2 stats fell, funny enough I could go on a 12 mile bike ride without anything covering my face and I'm fine!) Not to mention it is a way of perpetuating the fear of this fake pandemic and virus. Peoples ignorance completely astonishes me, but not as much as peoples ease in handing over their freedoms that so many have died for! ... even if this whole thing was real (and its not) I would rather live my life free and enjoy it than spend it cowering in my home or under the tyrany of the ever insidious nature of those who are governing us!

        • I can not get over how far your stupidity reaches and how dangerous you are not to mention complete nutjob conspiracy theorist and traitor. This has nothing to do with individual freedom and if you dont understand why you have got problems. You shouldnt be here.

          • Yada yada yada here comes another pro masker who's all about "wearing a mask is an act of love" love, love, so full of love and acceptance aren't you? When all you maskers do is bully and berate and try to control other people's behaviour. Pissweak Fear porn mongers and Hypocrites all of you.

          • No-. YOU should not be here, and if you think you have the right to regulate others than you shouldn't be ANYWHERE.

        • So you are one of those, why don't you go talk to someone like me who lost someone to this Virus, calling it a fake pandemic, come say that to me. I bet you are one of those who think that the Holocaust was fake, probably think all of the School shootings in this country were made up, probably believe that you are being followed by Helicopters when you go out.

    • Right on, Steve! I'm a 73 y.o. female in Sonoma County, CA. Our well-stocked neighborhood Market requires masks, so I end up wearing one a few times, PER WEEK....otherwise, nada!! No apparent Police "enforcement" (at least not in my area)...and that's in spite of our corrupt "smarmy" Governor.

      • I am an elderly grandmother and have never worn a mask. I have never used toxic hand sanitizer. This has been by far the healthiest year of my life. Fresh air, exercise, sunlight, wholesome food is the key. Nobody I know has had this phantom virus. I don't know anyone who knows anyone who has had it--- in multiple countries. Hospitals I see are empty of patients, not overwhelmed. Hospital staff are standing around idle. Turn off the TV and lose the fear.

    • Right on! I am a senior to, and doing great, using my right as a free American to not wear the shit!!!

  • Gavin Nuisance has a Billion reasons to force you to wear a face mask. Meanwhile he is borrowing money to pay unemployment?

    • . . . my thoughts also, the "sixth largest economy in the WORLD" is borrowing money from the Feds . . . maybe the one party super majority state is borrowing with the intention to NOT REPAY . . . and then threaten US with "we're the sixth largest economy the world . . . " (((( borrowing at zero perfect interest too . . . ))))

    • Hey Einstein. Who are we borrowing from to cover the 2 trillion dollar stimulus package which in addition to the 1 trillion dollar 2017 tax cuts for the 1% adds up to uh umm like 3 more trillion dollars we are in debt?

  • Here's links to the various studies I referenced:

    Research on effectiveness of face masks
    https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article?fbclid=IwAR2V1hPqN0WKb2kXVExP_1UE9ARvru6mtPZvZN0w1jx0S3l3fXLhxMP_bXs

    Research showing low infection rate in school setting
    http://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/NCIRS%20NSW%20Schools%20COVID_Summary_FINAL%20public_26%20April%202020.pdf

    Research showing cloth masks lead to higher respiratory infection rate
    https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577

    • Outstanding. I applaud your article and well reasoned position. It is inspiring and I thank you.

    • The study you referenced was the use of masks in a Flu pandemic. This is a SARs respiratory virus and your reference is invalid.
      The mask is a temporary public health effort to limit transmission. There are many at-risk people and it is a selfish vanity to not attempt to limit spread.
      I understand there is an odd and unfortunate political and psychological element to this. It is truly sad that there is such a lack of care for fellow countrymen.

      • May I correct your mischaracterization? It want one study during a flu epidemic. It was 10 studies performed over decades.

        Since COVID19 is spread in the same fashion as the flu, the studies are in point to the core question: do masks use by the general public reduce the infection rate.

        It doesn't matter if it's "temporary". It also doesn't matter if you think it's "caring". What matters is, is it effective? And if it is effective, are their downside and what is the cost. That's how you responsibly assess a hypothesis.

        The data is clear that mask use by the general public DOESN'T reduce the rate infection rate. Do you have any studies proving it does? You do not because they don't exist. Furthermore if you read the article you know that cloth mask use actually increases the infection rate of wearers. That makes sens because they all get slimy and warm which is the perfect breeding ground for viruses and bacteria.

        Finally, if we waste time and money on dumb and ineffective steps, we will miss smart steps which can actually help people.

        • Michael - can you please write an article about how all the non- mask wearers
          should unite and get a “DNT” - Do Not Treat- tattoo? Then my son-in-law, a doctor, and my daughter, a nurse, can choose to not treat you - ignore you/send you home if you get Covid? You don’t have to wear a mask! Charles Darwin would support you 100%. I have cancer. I’m in a high risk category if I get Covid. But you go with all your scientific research from your PhD in science? No? MD? No? Huh. Anyway, get the tattoo. If you get symptoms save do NOT go to a hospital. You don’t have the right.

          • I thought mask-wearing was to protect others. Not ourselves. So your "DNT" tattoo *eyeroll* makes zero sense.

          • Can you not separate mask usage from medical treatment? People should get medical treatment if they're ill.

            My point is: we should focus on undertaking steps that have a basis in science to try and protect people. We should question everything because when we waste time and money on ceremonial things like masks, that's less time and money to use on REAL steps to we can take to protect people.

          • What all of you non-mask wearing people believe is that you’re ENTITLED to have someone care about you when you walk in the door of a hospital. But, frankly, if the medical staff knows you are a staunch “no-mask person,” which goes DIRECTLY AGAINST WHAT THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY IS ASKING YOU TO DO, they aren’t going to rush to help you. TJ wrote, “I thought mask wearing was to protect others.” That is correct, TJ. You would be wearing a mask to help others so they don't get Coronavirus if you are asymptomatic. By not wearing a mask, you’re saying others don’t matter to you. When you walk into an ER with Coronavirus symptoms, and you come to the question on the intake form of “Have you been regularly wearing a mask?” are you going to be honest? Go ahead, say “no.” You should add, Mr. Robertson, that you have written an article about why wearing a mask is unnecessary – and see how the staff responds to you. I dated an ER nurse who said, for certain people, he walked a little slower to help them. Shocking, I know. Harsh reality – medical staff are human beings. Hopefully, none of you have him as a nurse. One option for you non-mask wearing people is to lie and say, “Yes! I have been wearing a mask- because I care about my fellow human beings and it's been recommended by you - the hardworking medical community. ” My grandfather was editor of the Omaha World Herald. He would call your writing, Mr. Robertson, "unethical," "dangerous" even - especially considering your audience.

          • By that logic, should we deny treatment to patients with diet induced diabetes because they won’t change their diet? Or should a smoker be denied treatment for their smoking acquired illnesses? I mean really! How angry are you at life right now for you to want medical professionals to tell people to die at home because of that person’s personal choices? People get sick and people die. That is a fact of life and it is unavoidable, but being a dick about it is optional.

          • No one is talking about how all of you wearing a mask are improperly doing so.... I have witnessed so many people constantly adjusting them with their dirty hands in public. So now whatever you touched is on your mask and face. They put their mask in their pocket or purse or a dirty surface then proceed to put it on their face. They are touching their face more because they are constantly adjusting it which is defeating the purpose. If you are not using the proper procedure to putting on and taking off a mask you are doing more harm than good to yourself. If you feel the need to wear a mask why are you even going out in public? Please stay home. We don’t want you out. Stay home and be scared... I mean stay safe....You have more chances of dying in a car crash while wearing your mask then catching COVID-19.

          • @Oneyearmaybe,
            It's interesting that your argument against Michael is that he has no educational background in medical science. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't.. You know who actually doesn't? How about Bill Gates. A college dropout, mediocre software developer, and most alarmingly a believer in eugenics that we're all to believe is such a wonderful humanitarian. Vaccines for everyone because he loves all of us, the guru for human health lol. Where are his credentials? No where but he has a very "healthy" bank account that the WHO and various others are in love with. Bill would certainly dance on your grave as you will become one less mouth breather on the planet. Let me guess, it's okay for Bill to spew his nonsense with no education, right?
            Way ahead of you as far as DNT/DNR, don't need the tattoo because it's already in my my medical records. In your shoes, I wouldn't bother treating cancer, "Covid" or anything else. I'd rather let myself die because death is FAR better than being stuck on this ****hole planet. Please continue to breathe in your own CO2, since you want to be a proud, mask wearing individual. I've been going without a mask for this long and unfortunately still alive and well, so..... ????‍♀️

          • I won't go to a dr. or hospital.. No worries..stay the hell far away from the commie "med" professionals....
            In fact staying away from you nazi effs keeps me healthy..!

          • How do you live your life in such fear? Stop believing so fully in your government overlords. They've been wrong most every step of the way, and this is no different.

            P.S. I pay the cost of mortgage each month for medical insurance. That makes me entitled to care whether you like it or not.

          • Well if your son and daughter are truly medically trained then they will or should also know the problems with masks, the increases chances of repiriotry diseases and that when ymusing them they dispose of them immediately, they are not reused they re kot washed they are disposed of! Also they re not exerting them sleeves whilst covering the airways , even someone with no scientific back ground should know if you cover your face with soem cloth you have to breathe hard to fill your lungs, so try doj g that whilst walking round or up a hill or whilst your stacking Chelsea moving boxes in a shop, etc etc. I do have a Bsc (hons) in immunology. Worked in labs where I have had to wear masks, they are binned, we take regular breaks and all know the down sides to wearing them and I catahoricaly do not recommend the general public to wear them as they are not only inefective bit also increase risk of causing bretjing difficulties and infections (both respiratory and skin).

          • Oh the irony. If you have cancer and your son in law doctor and daughter nurse haven't even recommended cannabis oil, that shows how ignorant you really are. Read rockerfeller medicine men. Medical philanthropy is a complete scam and so is this whole 'scamdemic'..

          • When I went for medical treatment, I was killed in the hospital. I don't need a doctor to help me die. When I came back to life ( because God I came back to life) the doctor was trying to kill me again trying to get my heart to pump again with a electric shock on my chest . Which would have definitely killed me. He gave me surgery I did not need and I did not give permission. Always a bad experience with every visit. I don't need medical. I will die first. It must be time to go then. Why can't doctor's treat you today without handprint? They don't need our identity to treat someone. They need our identity to tract us so we can't run out on the bill.

        • I was grateful to read your article. People are so quick to shut down dissenting voices in all this. I am of the camp that there has been a gross over-reaction to the virus. Recent CDC stats indicate a mortality rate only slightly greater than seasonal flu—.26%. And now I understand it is mandatory in California to wear masks, despite limited evidence of efficacy. I purchased a winter home in Riverside County last year and now I am questioning the wisdom of that purchase. I have no intention of walking around that beautiful community wearing a mask. I fear California will not be my winter home for long.

          • I would just like to add that according to CDC data (CDC provisional death data, age and sex) 94% of all covid deaths involved an average of 2.6 underlying conditions. So in the other 6% of deaths that person still may have had up to an average of 2.6 underlying conditions. In addition, even though a person dying of covid may not have had an underlying condition, they may still have been old, a smoker, obese, or any combination thereof.

        • How about this one - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200612172200.htm, or this one -https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-masks-science/masks-do-reduce-spread-of-flu-and-some-coronaviruses-study-finds-idUSKBN21L2BW, or this one - https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2020/04/27/13993003.01260-2020, you want more, how about this one - https://www.ucdavis.edu/coronavirus/news/your-mask-cuts-own-risk-65-percent/, I can go on, and on, and on, if you want.

      • It's true that the studies referenced are for flu. But it has been shown that CV-19 is blowing through the cloth. My biggest fear is the MISHANDLING of the germy cloth and cross contamination. I fully expect a MRSA outbreak, at the very least. I personally think it's nasty to wear cloth for hours at a time. For shift workers who are wearing the same piece of germy cloth for hours at a time, it's like wearing dirty underwear. I would suggest doing your own research from infectious disease publications. Cloth masks may be OK for a quick trip to the store but with so many taking them on and off to talk on the phone, dangling from the rearview mirror, taking it off to cough or sneeze I'm not understanding what is going on here with the CDC's 180. Appreciated the article and I believe that time will tell the non mask wearers keeping distance will fare better than the cloth mask wearers out and about.

      • If you paid attention to the people who are wearing the masks, watched them all day long, you would see that not only is the mask NOT providing sufficient protection to either side of it, but it is probably so full of moisture, virus if indeed one side provided it and and who knows what else that the mask itself is a health hazard!

        My thing is this: if indeed the mask is a protective/preventive measure, then people who are wearing them need to know the proper protocol. This would insist that anyone entering a retail business that is requiring customers to wear masks provide such masks upon entry, removal of any self-provided masks, and then disposal of the store-provided mask upon leaving.
        And this: people who are wearing the masks have no idea how to properly remove and re-apply the masks and as I observe or not washing hands throughout the remove/reapply process, as well as while touching, adjusting and using cell phones while wearing the masks. This behaviour is only contradictory to how the mask can be protective/preventive.
        The reality: some people are so susceptible that they will become infected no matter what preventive/protective measures are taken, and others are so immune that they will not become infected no matter how exposed they may be; and that the general population resides closer to the latter, on a range and that even if they do become infected they are mildly- or non- symptomatic and also very unlikely to transmit the virus. The whole mask/glove/distancing theory has one major agenda - to instill fear and submission in the most emotionally vulnerable among the population; to instill guilt and compliance in those who disagree and feel these measures are unnecessarily restrictive.

        • 100% Agree. Why aren't more intelligent people speaking up about this? Don't get me started on those who fetishize PPE.. which I think is weird. (It's not a fashion accessory)

      • Korn, you are correct that the studies are using a different virus. However, every study that is being used to say masks are effective are also using other viruses. Basic facts are that the average size of the sars-cov-2 virus is 70-90nm average size of the influenza virus is 80-120nm the average n95 filters 95% of particles that are 300nm or larger. Study or no study, basic math can help in concluding the effectiveness of masks.

      • And you have fallen for one of the oldest rhetorics I the book of control "ots for the people" this so called made up virus is a flu virus, there are many different sub sets of viruses and all vary in size (from about 3nm to 300nm) but they are all viruses. We are also talking g about other pathogens so, fungal and bacterial which will also have a lovely time breading in that mask of your regardless if its a bit of cloth or a surgical mask. Also everything I ha e written in other comments above (I'm not rewriting them!) This is soly and utterly a power and control grab. Fear is sued to control people, they used to use religion and now that most people are either non practicing or atheist in the modern world they haven't been able to use that, so they use things like terror and now illness. This entire thing when you take a step back is obviously fake look at the information that's been realised not just in your own country but every country its all disjointed alot of it is complete and utter nonsesne (unfortunately most people didn't study biology last high-school) and people are ignorant to what is real or not but people can use common sense and would quickly find that this is all nonsense. I live in an area where the majority of the people are pensioners, not one death, mot a single one of them wear masks (I've seen more of them since the start of all this nonsese than I have since I moved here years ago) every person I know up and down the UK and other countries I have spoken to, does not know a single person who has died from this or has even had this so called fast spreading deadly virus, and most of them have paid little to no attention to the faux social distancing laws!

    • Sir, you quote the cloth mask study and make it seem as if cloth masks increase your likelihood of infection as compared to wearing nothing. Quoting from the article directly:

      "An analysis by mask use showed ILI (RR=6.64, 95% CI 1.45 to 28.65) and laboratory-confirmed virus (RR=1.72, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.94) were significantly higher in the cloth masks group compared with the medical masks group."

      The study was comparing cloth masks to medical masks, nowhere does it state that wearing a cloth mask will increase you risk of infection over wearing no mask at all.

      You state elsewhere in the comments that there is no research indicating masks are effective but there are recent studies that are asserting that:

      https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1442

      https://royalsociety.org/news/2020/05/delve-group-publishes-evidence-paper-on-use-of-face-masks/

      https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.01.20088237v1

      • Bob - thanks for the thoughtful response. It's refreshing! Let me respond: First all the "research" you list are just opinions - not randomized controlled trials. Masks proponents use this logic: masks reduce droplets or at least droplet size and therefore there SHOULD be less infections. Maybe that's true, maybe it's not true. There are many, many factors not just droplets. For example, people wearing masks actually touch their faces far more than others so you could be increasing the likelihood of transmission. Maybe.

        The way you determine if a hypothesis is correct is a controlled trial. None exist saying that mask usage by the general public reduce infections. None. Nowhere in the world. Don't you find that odd? If it's so clear wouldn't mask companies happily commission such research? Then they could sell billions of masks! Yeah.

        There ARE trials which shows that masks are NOT effective at reducing infections in aerosol transmitted infections. So one view has the actual trials and the other has opinions.

        As for cloth masks, your observation is correct but incomplete. They found "Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97%" suggesting cloth masks achieve very little. Furthermore they state "Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection." It would have been nice if they had a controlled group that didn't use masks at all.

        I'm grateful you're looking at the actual science. That's awesome!

        • Pure common sense can tell you that they are worse than not wearing any. You ha e a peice of material, regardless of it being surgical grade or just a bit of clothe, over your mouth. Its becomes both koist and warm not to mention plenty of nutrients for pathogens to multiply (more likely to be bacteria and fungal) you can either breathe these in, have them obviously also bread on your skin under the mask and the obvious spreading by touching the mask, adjusting it taking it off moving over your chin, etc... so forget about this current made up flu virus just general spreading of genuine pathogens from a mask you ha e worn. Not to mention all the other harmful side effects of wearing marks for prolonged periods.

    • Thank you! I was just about to ask if I could see your sources! I agree with you 100% on this, but I like to do my own research.

    • -You think that an RCT is a 'randomly controlled test.'

      -You describe yourself as 'accomplished.' (Accomplished people let others choose that description.)

      -The study you reference finds that cloth masks result in higher infection *relative to the benchmark of surgical masks* (https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577).

      -You say: "With a transmission rate of only 0.2% in an active social arena such as a school without masks, it’s easy to see how wearing masks in a casual environment would not reduce flu infection rates." This. Does. Not. Follow. At. All.

      Your sentences are jumbled, confused, lacking all syntax, structure, logic, flow. This is painful to read.

      In all honesty, you seem to have dementia. That sounds cruel, but I'm not saying it to be cruel, I'm saying it because you deserve to know.

      • Please no personal attacks. Instead use logic and reason to make your point.

        The only logical point I see is that the cloth mask test are comparing them to surgical masks. That's true, however the study also says that cloth masks are 97% ineffective. Add to that the greater risk of infection and I think people should think twice before using cloth masks.

        Not sure why you're not grasping the point about low transmission rates in causal interactions. There are other studies showing infections are mostly in extended close contact like in homes or offices where people aren't wearing masks. Is that clearer now?

      • Painful to read? Here's a perfect example: "This. Does. Not. Follow. At. All." Jesus H. Christ, talk about torture to read! Masks are not effective. They represent either virtue signalling, or fearful ignorance. They prevent corona virus as much as a pink ribbon prevents breast cancer.

    • Ummm the study says that medical masks are more effective than cloth so they should not be used by Healthcare workers in a medical setting. It does not compare cloth masks to not wearing masks at all.
      Conclusions This study is the first RCT of cloth masks, and the results caution against the use of cloth masks. This is an important finding to inform occupational health and safety. Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection. Further research is needed to inform the widespread use of cloth masks globally. However, as a precautionary measure, cloth masks should not be recommended for HCWs, particularly in high-risk situations, and guidelines need to be updated.

    • the CDC study looks at people in long prolonged contact with each other. It looks at people on a pilgrimage, people living in halls together and the other were people in a household. Prolonged contact with ANYTHING is going to end up beating your PPE. Idiot. The other article cited by your piss ant article from the BMJ even has a correction added to it. lol. The article is comparing actual PPE for healthcare workers to cloth masks. Newsflash, medical masks are better. DUH. idiot. Tells me you didn't even check the sources yourself.

  • Mask wearing is important. It is a way to show support for the government, and faith in the mass media. It also sends an important message: "I'm better than you!." It also makes people feel good; as if they are doing something to fight this pandemic, much as some people believe they are "saving the planet by "recycling," when much of what is placed in recycling bins ends up in landfills anyway.

    None of this applies to the few people that might have medical reasons to wear masks.

    I won't wear a mask. I won't shop at stores that require customers to wear masks, and will never again shop at them. Business owners have their rights, but in the long run, the customer can still be the boss.

    The points made in this article are very well taken.

    By the way, why is it that the same demagogic politicians that called for "resistance" when President Trump was elected are the same ones that today call for unquestioning obedience?

    • I began reading your comment thinking “Oh, boy, here we go”, but ended up thinking, “You are my people!”.
      I am not currently in California but I know it’s usually around 100 degrees at this time of year in Palm Springs. I’m guessing you will be one of very few people not gagging for air through your mask. Have a really good day.

    • Amazing! Great article. Well researched and delivered. So very refreshing amongst the uneducated hysteria that seems to be drowning out the voice of reason today. I have also enjoyed the comment section.

  • When State Governments let you go to the grocery store, hardware store, liquor store, pot dispensary store, but demands mail-in voting, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH!

  • Mike, something food for thought: "To some, wearing a mask means admitting a fear they may not have consciously confronted yet, said David Abrams, a clinical psychologist and professor of social and behavioral science at New York University's School of Global Public Health.
    Many view the mask as a walking symbol of vulnerability that tells others you're scared about contracting the virus. So to compensate for that fear, and as a show of strength, they may reject the masks entirely, he said."

    • Wow, I must have really hit a nerve. Who knew? Would you mind sharing with us what your stake is in having everyone walk around with masks that are unnecessary and likely harmful, as outlined (with citations) in the article above?

    • Possibly. And then there are people who don't wear masks because they have educated themselves about the actual science and realize that masks are useless virtue signalling.

  • If you really believed your B.S. you would show yourself in a Covid-19 ward interacting without a mask.

    • That's ridiculous and not an accurate representation of real-life exposure unless you're a professional within that ward.

      In any case, in that scenario it's the PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK who should be wearing the mask, NOT the healthy person.

  • Yeah, so using studies infection rates
    of masks (of CLOTH masks vs paper masks, which is bad faith in itself) for INFUENZA with coronavirus, which is novel, meaning we know little about it. It’s a new sport for conservatives to lie about a novel virus because it’s so easy to do, and takes little effort.

    By all means head out to coronavirus wards mask-free when no one is around to look after your childish stunts and demonstrate the power of positive thinking to eradicate this virus. Please don’t siphon off coronavirus treatments and equipment from those who chose to take precautions — and we all know the facemasks are just the tip of the iceberg for people who have the conservative attitude. It has long ago stopped being an ideology, because conservatives have been shedding any principles for decades now.

    Politicizing a pandemic? Don’t blame me, it was your orange false idol you should complain to, as he politicized this pandemic at the outset. Almost like he had already made his decision when spy agencies started briefings about it in November and quickly, suddenly put his DC Trump hotel (cash cow) up for sale soon afterwards.

  • All through history slaves have been forced to cover their faces, so as to remain anonymous to their masters.

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