Re: Crazy (and not-so-crazy) shit about Covid-19
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 1:12 pm
I think it's great that this study was conducted. (Science !!! ) The result is certainly interesting but it's still just one study under particular conditions (see below). If further well-designed and reviewed studies replicate the same or similar results, calling the effectiveness of mask-wearing fundamentally into question, then I would give the results more credit as a basis for general conclusions and decisions.
Above all, there's one major factor that, for me at least, doesn't make it 'generally applicable'. Apart from other caveats, the participants were already socially distancing. If you can generally avoid situations where you are up close to (many) other people for significant periods, especially in less-ventilated spaces and with lots of strangers, then I can better imagine that mask-wearing doesn't make a significant difference, although I still find it surprising (but the findings are what they are). However, one kind of scenario that is quite different is public transport: in the buses and in the subway or overland transit trains of Berlin, for instance, you find yourself in enclosed spaces with moderate or little ventilation and lots of other people; in peak periods you have other passengers pretty much literally 'in your face'. And all around you. This is the kind of situation I would like to see researched in the same way as the existing study. Until then, I'll continue to wear a mask in situations like these and I'm thankful that 99% of our fellow passengers do the same. Members of my family have to travel to school/work and back every day under these conditions.
This Forbes article seems pretty balanced to me:
"A Covid-19 study conducted in Denmark and published in Annals of Internal Medicine created a heated discourse on social media as some claimed that the study showed masks were ineffective at preventing Covid-19 transmission, while health experts--including the lead researcher behind the study--disagreed."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2020/11/18/lead-researcher-behind-controversial-danish-study-says-you-should-still-wear-a-mask/
PS. If I'm doing tuishou or similar with a partner, then only if we both wear masks (and only outside or in extremely well-ventilated spaces). Did that all through summer. Not that this happens much at the moment, of course.
Above all, there's one major factor that, for me at least, doesn't make it 'generally applicable'. Apart from other caveats, the participants were already socially distancing. If you can generally avoid situations where you are up close to (many) other people for significant periods, especially in less-ventilated spaces and with lots of strangers, then I can better imagine that mask-wearing doesn't make a significant difference, although I still find it surprising (but the findings are what they are). However, one kind of scenario that is quite different is public transport: in the buses and in the subway or overland transit trains of Berlin, for instance, you find yourself in enclosed spaces with moderate or little ventilation and lots of other people; in peak periods you have other passengers pretty much literally 'in your face'. And all around you. This is the kind of situation I would like to see researched in the same way as the existing study. Until then, I'll continue to wear a mask in situations like these and I'm thankful that 99% of our fellow passengers do the same. Members of my family have to travel to school/work and back every day under these conditions.
This Forbes article seems pretty balanced to me:
"A Covid-19 study conducted in Denmark and published in Annals of Internal Medicine created a heated discourse on social media as some claimed that the study showed masks were ineffective at preventing Covid-19 transmission, while health experts--including the lead researcher behind the study--disagreed."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2020/11/18/lead-researcher-behind-controversial-danish-study-says-you-should-still-wear-a-mask/
PS. If I'm doing tuishou or similar with a partner, then only if we both wear masks (and only outside or in extremely well-ventilated spaces). Did that all through summer. Not that this happens much at the moment, of course.