Do Masks really help in preventing respiratory infections? Recent study reviewed

by Reasonfirst 11 Replies latest jw friends

Background

Viral epidemics or pandemics of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) pose a global threat. Examples are influenza (H1N1) caused by the H1N1pdm09 virus in 2009, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 in 2019. Antiviral drugs and vaccines may be insufficient to prevent their spread. This is an update of a Cochrane Review last published in 2020. We include results from studies from the current COVID‐19 pandemic.

Objectives

To assess the effectiveness of physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of acute respiratory viruses.

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The conclusions are sure to be controversial, because the use of masks is deeply imbedded in medical orthodoxy.

  • a watcher
    a watcher

    When I am actively coughing or sneezing, I wear a mask. Otherwise, no.

  • cofty
    cofty

    Masks were 100% about psychology and 0% to do with science.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    Do Masks Work? What the Cochrane Review Can and Can’t Tell Us (health.com)

  • enoughisenough
    enoughisenough

    I never did believe they worked...just a control device

  • eyeslice
    eyeslice

    I sort of agree and would add that there was no science behind the 2metre/6ft social distancing rule. It has been since found that airborne viruses if sneezed out can travel far further than that.

    Still if I am in supermarket queue and someone behind me has COVID then I would prefer they wore a meal and kept their distance.

    The mask and distancing things were at least signals to be careful during the early stages of this devastating epidemic.

  • enoughisenough
    enoughisenough

    one tell for me was if those masks served the purposed we were told, there would have been special bio-hazard containers for their disposal.

  • joey jojo
    joey jojo

    Dr John Campbell- Doctor of Philosophy, not medicine.

    If you take a look at this study, there are some serious criticisms of it.

    I never believed masks were perfect but I wore them during the pandemic anyway. If they help - even a little, then whats the problem with wearing them? At the very least, if they are wearing one, it should prevent someone spitting all over you as they talk.

    My experience with people that dont like masks is that its more about the fact they dont like being told what to do, not about science.

    https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/so-ridiculous-major-flaw-with-gold-standard-covid-mask-study-exposed/news-story/008737f7b3f7bf669f633a3004a9e40b

    https://theconversation.com/yes-masks-reduce-the-risk-of-spreading-covid-despite-a-review-saying-they-dont-198992

    https://www.health.com/cochrane-review-do-masks-work-7112631

    https://healthfeedback.org/claimreview/multiple-studies-show-face-masks-reduce-spread-of-covid-19-cochrane-review-doesnt-demonstrate-otherwise/

    https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20230216/qa-what-a-major-review-does-and-does-not-tell-us-about-masks-and-covid19

  • pontoon
    pontoon

    Wearing underware, jeans, sitting in a cushy soft chair go ahead and pass some gas. In four seconds everyone in the room is going to know someone farted. No, masks don't work.

  • cofty
    cofty

    Masks were all about psychology.

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