Masking: Follow The Science
© 10.17.20 By David Eric Williams
The mantra is "follow the science" That's what we're going to do in this article: follow the science on masking.
The CDC recently published info that has a bearing on the topic of masking even though it's not specifically about masking. A study found on the CDC website with findings published under the title Community and close contact exposures associated with Covid 19 among symptomatic adults over 18 years in 11 outpatient healthcare facilities was conducted to ascertain how the coronavirus spreads and to propose strategies to reduce transmission of SARS-COV-2. There were 314 participants; 154 patients who tested positive for SARS Cov-2 and 160 control participants who, although symptomatic, tested negative for SARS Cov-2.
As I said, the purpose of the study was to determine how and where people catch the virus; incidental to that the paper also reported on the use of masks among participants 14 days prior to the onset of illness. So, although the study was not about masking, there's an important component of the study revealing significant information concerning the effectiveness of masking. Of those who tested positive - the 154 case patients - 22 often wore a mask, and 108 claimed they always wore a mask in public. That's 85 percent of the case patients. 85 percent of those who tested positive for SARS Cov-2 often or always wore a mask in public. They still got sick.
I realize there weren't controls on that aspect of the study. Certainly there were other factors involved. However, even if people wore the masks "correctly" they would still fail to prevent the spread of disease.
Here's why according to the CDC; in the first week of October this year, the CDC updated a page on their website called How Covid-19 Spreads. In the fourth paragraph, there's a heading that says, Covid-19 can sometimes be spread by airborne transmission. This was presented as brand-new information. It's not. It's something I was taught in high school science - and that was a long time ago.
Now, this bit of information - this old info that has suddenly been resurrected as important - has been ignored by the main stream news media. You don't hear anyone talking about. The CDC doesn't talk about. Why? Because it is one of the key reasons masking is not an efficient means of decreasing the spread of viral disease.
You know what I'm talking about. Especially If you wear glasses. They always steam up when you wear a mask. That's how a virus spreads even if you wear a mask. That's called aerosol transmission - or as the CDC prefers to label it, airborne transmission.
People - masks don't work! Masks cannot prevent the spread of aerosol emissions.
The CDC also says that pathogens that are spread easily through airborne transmission require the use of special engineering controls to prevent infections. In other words, none of the stupid masks people are wearing are going to help. Because, again, you must have special engineering controls to prevent infections.
The fact that masks are not efficient in decreasing the spread of viruses has been known for years. Prior to the subject being politicized, it was commonly understood, masks, including surgical masks, were not effective barriers to aerosoled viruses.
I've mentioned, there is a lot of medical and scientific literature on the subject and I'll touch on just a few examples. To start with I have a copy of a 2014 study published by the Taiwan Association For Aerosol Research and it's titled, Comparison of filtration efficiency and pressure drop in Anti-yellow sand masks, quarantine masks medical masks, general masks and handkerchiefs. This study found, medical masks, general masks, and handkerchiefs were found to provide little protection against respiratory aerosols.
One of the things I discovered in my reading over the last several months is research on the efficacy of masking in the surgical theater. This study from Taiwan touches on that as well, for instance, one large prospective randomized controlled trial reported on general surgical patients. Half the group underwent operations during which the surgical team used masks, and the other half, masks were not used. No significant difference was observed in the infection rate, and the bacteria that were subsequently cultured did not differ between the two groups. Indeed, a trend for more infections to occur was noted in the group wearing masks
So, this is just one study that found masking to be without value in preventing the spread of aerosoled pathogens. Of course, in the case of the surgical theater, a primary concern would have been bacteria.
Now, in 2019 the WHO - the World Health Organization not the band - produced a study titled Nonpharmaceutical public health measures for mitigating the risk and impact of epidemic and pandemic influenza. It's approximately 100 pages of fairly obvious observations; section 4 of the study concerns personal protective measures.
This is off topic, but the first thing they talk about in section 4 is hand hygiene, and it's interesting to note the WHO recognizes the fact that hand hygiene is ineffective in reducing transmission of laboratory confirmed influenza. They mention the randomized controlled trials that have been conducted and those RCTs have never produced evidence that hand hygiene is effective in limiting the spread of viruses. I've read other studies that affirm that finding.
Just something to think about. Something to think about because we are constantly told things that aren't true and we never bother to do the research ourselves. Now, I'm not saying you should stop washing your hands; there are plenty of reasons you should wash your hands but stopping the spread of the flu or the coronavirus isn't one of them.
When we get to section 4.3 we find there where 10 randomized controlled trials included in the meta-analysis supporting this paper and there was no evidence that face-masks are effective in reducing transmission of laboratory confirmed influenza And just to remind you, they keep referencing the flu because that's the virus under consideration here but the findings pertain to the coronavirus as well.
Now what strikes me as ridiculous - just as the entire masking culture we endure today is ridiculous - is the fact that the WHO readily admits there is no proof masking works and yet they say disposable surgical masks are recommended to be worn at all times by symptomatic individuals when in contact with other individuals although there is no evidence this is effective in reducing transmission
No evidence. And yet we have people like the mayor of Moscow Idaho and the city Council in Moscow Idaho, imposing a mask mandate on the citizens and visitors of the town. You probably have seen the video of the Christians arrested while singing psalms in the City Hall parking lot. They were singing psalms while unmasked and, generally, not observing the six-foot social distance protocol.
Also disturbing is the lunacy of Governor Newsom in the state of California. The governor says the citizens of California should wear a mask while eating and should lift the mask, take a bite, lower the mask and chew - and so on. Ladies and gentlemen that is one of the most asinine things I have heard. Number one, the masks don't prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Number two, if they did, lifting and lowering the mask would offset its effectiveness. But this is the kind of thing we have come to expect from the Left; a lack of intelligence, a lack of imagination.
The last article I want to look at is from the New England Journal of Medicine. It's a May 21, 2020 article titled Universal masking in hospitals in the Covid 19 era Reading from the paper, we know that wearing a mask outside healthcare facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection. Read that again; we know that wearing a mask outside healthcare facilities offers little if any protection from infection. And yet it is presented as the means of salvation for an entire society. People who should know better, medical professionals, push masking as the answer to the (so-called) pandemic. Why is that? Well again reading from the NEJM article, in many cases, the desire for widespread masking is reflexive reaction to anxiety over the pandemic. Anxious and fearful people are prone to simply do what they are told – if they believe it will keep them safe.
For those not blinded by fear it's obvious that masking mandates have nothing to do with public health. The evidence to support mask mandates simply does not exist. I've touched on a very small selection of the literature on the subject. If you'd like to see more you can go to the 403forbidden.us website, click on the archives link, and then the masking link, at the bottom of the page you'll find a couple dozen medical and scientific journal articles on the subject. And that represents a fraction of the literature on the subject.
If mask mandates are not about public health, than what is the reason behind the edicts? Well, in some cases I think it is nothing more then the desire to appear as if something is being done. I get the impression - for instance - that the mayor and city Council in Moscow Idaho are nothing more than weak willed Leftists who don't really believe masks are all that important but they have a strong desire for Leftist street cred.
The other reason States and municipalities have enacted mask mandates is because it's an inexpensive and, frankly, efficient means of control. If you know anything about the character of Leftists you know that fundamental to the character of Leftism is an undying lust for control. Those who enter civil service with a Leftist mindset believe it is their duty - even their privilege - to command the lives of others – of those beneath them. And mask mandates provide an opportunity to do that.
Masking is dehumanizing and demoralizing. It crushes the compliant into submission. The masking propaganda insists that wearing a mask is the only right thing to do. Those who refuse to wear masks are viewed as outcasts, as a threat to the stability and health of society.
Nevertheless, every freedom loving individual must refuse to wear a mask. Now, you may be required to mask up in your line of work - that's different, I think. In reality, that's voluntary. If you don't like it you can always leave the job. Theoretically at least. What I am saying is that we must not wear a mask when it is mandated by civil authorities. We must not wear masks when they are "required" by businesses. And if that business refuses service unless you wear a mask, then take your money elsewhere.
The science is clear; masks are not effective in mitigating the spread of viral disease. Masking mandates are not about health but are about control. So refuse to wear the mask. Take a stand for your fundamental, God given, human rights. Don't Wear The Mask.
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