4 ms·

"Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus" - U.S. Surgeon General A flat out lie fro

"Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus" - U.S. Surgeon General A flat out lie from the leading spokesperson on matters of public health. All of the hand-wringing about foreign misinformation. But what if the misinformation is coming from within the house?

bscphil 7y ago
I don't see any particular reason to trust the opinion section of the Boston Globe over the US Surgeon General or the WHO, but that's just me. I'm even more hesitant about calling that claim a "flat out lie". As far as I can tell, these are just two people with a point of view, who don't link to a single study on the matter. Seriously though, do you have any evidence that the consensus of the medical profession is that getting the general, non-sick population to wear masks is useful in combating the crisis? I'm open to the possibility that it is, but remain rather skeptical.
- msamwald 7y ago
  It is the consensus of medical professionals and officials in those countries that have demonstrated that they can greatly reduce the spread (China, South Korea, Japan). It is not the consensus in countries that currently still see an explosion in cases.
- chrischen 7y ago
  Well the opinion section of the Boston Globe is also written by a person (in this case two people, with separate credentials listed at the bottom). The Surgeon General tweeting is also an "opinion section". And if you think that whatever the official government official says must be true, feel free to go browse the official POTUS twitter acount.
  - bscphil 7y ago
    > if you think that whatever the official government official says must be true This is something I definitely said.
    - chrischen 7y ago
      I'm referring to your statement about trusting the surgeon general. > I don't see any particular reason to trust the opinion section of the Boston Globe over the US Surgeon General or the WHO
      - bscphil 7y ago
        Me: I think the statements of the US Surgeon General are usually trustworthy, at least more so than the opinion section of the Boston Globe. You: you think that whatever the official government official says must be true Do you see the issue here?
- deleted 7y ago
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- factsaresacred 7y ago
  > do you have any evidence that the consensus of the medical profession is that getting the general, non-sick population to wear masks is useful in combating the crisis? Yes: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(03)13168-6/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3810906/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3810906/ https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712%2808%2901008-4/fulltext https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712%2808%2901008-4... "Wearing a face mask was a protective factor against influenza infection." "The staff who wore surgical masks and N95 masks were significantly associated with non-infection." "In compliant users, masks were highly efficacious." Also common sense. If you wear a mask you reduce the probability that you transmit the virus. And, to a lesser extent, you reduce the probability that you are infected by the virus. Claiming that "they are not effective" is simply false. Perhaps "lie" is too strong, but it was untrue and irresponsible considering the position he holds.
  - DrScump 7y ago
    "Wearing a face mask was a protective factor against influenza infection." The key word there is influenza.
    - factsaresacred 7y ago
      It's about the size of the particles (both COVID-19 and flu are 80–120 nm) not the type of virus. Besides, the other links concern a SARS virus.
deleted 7y ago
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bscphil 7y ago

I don't see any particular reason to trust the opinion section of the Boston Globe over the US Surgeon General or the WHO, but that's just me. I'm even more hesitant about calling that claim a "flat out lie". As far as I can tell, these are just two people with a point of view, who don't link to a single study on the matter. Seriously though, do you have any evidence that the consensus of the medical profession is that getting the general, non-sick population to wear masks is useful in combating the crisis? I'm open to the possibility that it is, but remain rather skeptical.

msamwald 7y ago
It is the consensus of medical professionals and officials in those countries that have demonstrated that they can greatly reduce the spread (China, South Korea, Japan). It is not the consensus in countries that currently still see an explosion in cases.
chrischen 7y ago
Well the opinion section of the Boston Globe is also written by a person (in this case two people, with separate credentials listed at the bottom). The Surgeon General tweeting is also an "opinion section". And if you think that whatever the official government official says must be true, feel free to go browse the official POTUS twitter acount.
- bscphil 7y ago
  > if you think that whatever the official government official says must be true This is something I definitely said.
  - chrischen 7y ago
    I'm referring to your statement about trusting the surgeon general. > I don't see any particular reason to trust the opinion section of the Boston Globe over the US Surgeon General or the WHO
    - bscphil 7y ago
      Me: I think the statements of the US Surgeon General are usually trustworthy, at least more so than the opinion section of the Boston Globe. You: you think that whatever the official government official says must be true Do you see the issue here?
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
factsaresacred 7y ago
> do you have any evidence that the consensus of the medical profession is that getting the general, non-sick population to wear masks is useful in combating the crisis? Yes: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(03)13168-6/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3810906/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3810906/ https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712%2808%2901008-4/fulltext https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712%2808%2901008-4... "Wearing a face mask was a protective factor against influenza infection." "The staff who wore surgical masks and N95 masks were significantly associated with non-infection." "In compliant users, masks were highly efficacious." Also common sense. If you wear a mask you reduce the probability that you transmit the virus. And, to a lesser extent, you reduce the probability that you are infected by the virus. Claiming that "they are not effective" is simply false. Perhaps "lie" is too strong, but it was untrue and irresponsible considering the position he holds.
- DrScump 7y ago
  "Wearing a face mask was a protective factor against influenza infection." The key word there is influenza.
  - factsaresacred 7y ago
    It's about the size of the particles (both COVID-19 and flu are 80–120 nm) not the type of virus. Besides, the other links concern a SARS virus.

deleted 7y ago

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