4 ms·
I fear this is still using hindsight to overcorrect in the opposite direction. The critical factor is fomite vs droplet transmission, and we didn't have that in
by radu_floricica 6y ago
I fear this is still using hindsight to overcorrect in the opposite direction. The critical factor is fomite vs droplet transmission, and we didn't have that in day 1. In the alternative world where covid spreads by touch 1000x more than by air, masks would likely do more harm than good.
Not trying to defend the authorities, I still think they were waaay too far from the optimum course. A few weeks in we already had a fair guess that it's more air than touch. But still, it wasn't as trivial to be solved in one afternoon.
- londons_explore 6y agoThe point I was making is no [western] government can get any research to inform an urgent policy decision in 24 hours. My government would be issuing a request for proposals 6 months later, and the actual study results would cost tens of millions of dollars and only be delivered 3 years later.