3 ms·

Perhaps the most important part of the entire paper is the final sentence: > While our findings may be more applicable in some modern circumstances than others

Perhaps the most important part of the entire paper is the final sentence: > While our findings may be more applicable in some modern circumstances than others (e.g., when a virus is particularly deadly for younger adults and children or when remote learning opportunities are limited), our paper cautions against over-extrapolating from the 1918-19 pandemic when making decisions about optimal policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unfortunately not going to stop many people or politicians or media outlets from citing this paper as a justification for (or to defend) COVID-19 policies.

tootie 5y ago
It never works that way. This one study is never going to be directly and perfectly applicable to other scenarios. It is a valuable data point. If it had shown the opposite conclusion it would bode very poorly for the current situation.
whimsicalism 5y ago
> It is unfortunately not going to stop many people or politicians or media outlets from citing this paper as a justification for (or to defend) COVID-19 policies. You seem to be reading that as saying that you should do no extrapolation whatsoever, when really what they are saying is that you should do cautious extrapolation.
noduerme 5y ago
- yostrovs 5y ago
  Surely a study that didn't discuss masks wouldn't change opinions on masking.
  - noduerme 5y ago
    I'd have said anti-school-closure parents, but we're already well past that point.
    - yostrovs 5y ago
      All you're proving is that you have an opinion and nothing will change your mind. You didn't even look at what you're commenting on. Your formed opinion was more important.