I am writing this in response to the allegation of “cherry picked” data in my recent letter as to why masks do not work. Like the prior personal attack, I’m also used to that allegation, having heard it several times when I argued against red light cameras in several localities and the Legislature. Then as now, I listed data in support of my argument.
To counter this, I’ll reference a single US scientific Randomized Control Trial (RCT) here, which was cited by my prior letter: The that compared medical masks and N95 respirators as used by heath care professionals. That study found that there was no significant difference in protection for users, but I failed to mention how effective they were against airborne illnesses such as influenza or respiratory infections. The study started out with 2,862 workers, and 2,371 completed the trials. The study was operated from September 2011 through May 2015 with a final follow-up in June 2016. This resulted in nearly 5 years of data. I’ll note both of these are better-quality devices than the commonly-used paper masks that are prevalent. In this regard, it doesn’t matter if you have a Cadillac or a Chevy, as neither will keep you safe given the circumstances.
The “results” section of the study contains data relevant to COVID, as it is an airborne-spread illness. The point of wearing a mask is to reduce the risk of either getting or spreading infection. This section listed several airborne-spread illnesses, and the results for both medical masks and the N95 respirators. Here is the actual data as compared to the 2,371 participants:
• Laboratory-confirmed influenza infection: Masks 193, N95 207 or 16% of the participants
• Acute respiratory illness: Masks 1,711, N95 1,556 or 137% of the participants (since this was above 100%, it’s clear some of the participants were re-infected over time)
• Laboratory-detected respiratory infections: Masks 745, N95 679 or 60% of the participants
• Laboratory-confirmed respiratory illness events: Masks 417, N95 371 or 33% of the participants
• Influenza-like illness events: Masks 166, N95 128 or 12% of the participants
Mask use “always or sometimes” was reported as being between 89 and 90 percent.
The most relevant data point as relates to COVID here is that of the “acute respiratory illness”. It’s abundantly clear that neither the medical mask nor the N95 respirator prevented this illness at any level of success. The fact that over 100 percent of participants were affected shows a high rate of reinfection the masks/respirators also failed to prevent.
I’m still waiting to read a scientific study that proves masks work in preventing airborne infection to any significant degree. Perhaps it would be a shorter wait for the government to stop printing and spending money on things it shouldn’t.
Paul Henry