4 ms·

This study is not a randomized controlled study and it lacks even modest efforts at statistically controlling for confounding factors. It is therefore not possi

by jrd79 5y ago

This study is not a randomized controlled study and it lacks even modest efforts at statistically controlling for confounding factors. It is therefore not possible to draw any meaningful conclusions from it. It appears science education is not what it used to be. For a comparison between outcomes for two groups to be informative, those groups must be selected in a way that structurally eliminates the possibility of confounding factors. If that is categorically impossible to achieve, then a well-constructed study will seek to control for all conceivable confounding factors by sampling other variables and statistically controlling for the possible influence of those variables. This is not hard.

bedhead 5y ago
I'd say that of the endless studies and pieces of data, 90% indicate masks do nothing. All pre-covid mask studies concluded they do nothing...there was even a paper about why people in Japan wore masks despite them doing nothing. The two most robust studies (Bangladesh and Denmark) concluded masks do nothing. COVID rates in nearby mask vs non-mask places (endless sources of this) show masks do nothing. The few things suggesting masks work are usually the product of data mining, aren't statistically significant, or have other fatal flaws such as not being able to distinguish between causation/correlation or behavioral factors. The CDC's own study was comically flawed, cut off before COVID spikes last November...it doesn't even qualify as amateur hour. The idea that masks work is just wishful thinking from people who are anxiety-ridden. They're placebos, amulets. If people want to wear them, fine, but the notion that there's enough evidence to justify universal mask mandates is truly one of the sorriest aspects of COVID because it's so symbolic of how we've done away with reason and scientific process completely.

by jrd79 5y ago

bedhead 5y ago

I'd say that of the endless studies and pieces of data, 90% indicate masks do nothing. All pre-covid mask studies concluded they do nothing...there was even a paper about why people in Japan wore masks despite them doing nothing. The two most robust studies (Bangladesh and Denmark) concluded masks do nothing. COVID rates in nearby mask vs non-mask places (endless sources of this) show masks do nothing. The few things suggesting masks work are usually the product of data mining, aren't statistically significant, or have other fatal flaws such as not being able to distinguish between causation/correlation or behavioral factors. The CDC's own study was comically flawed, cut off before COVID spikes last November...it doesn't even qualify as amateur hour. The idea that masks work is just wishful thinking from people who are anxiety-ridden. They're placebos, amulets. If people want to wear them, fine, but the notion that there's enough evidence to justify universal mask mandates is truly one of the sorriest aspects of COVID because it's so symbolic of how we've done away with reason and scientific process completely.