But, see, there’s a little issue
The remarkable thing here is that the only way the most prestigious data review on community masks – which found no clear evidence of benefit – made it into the paper of record was in an opinion piece
The NYT Science desk did not deem it newsworthyhttps://t.co/7zeFP5CW5f
— David Zweig (@davidzweig) February 22, 2023
The opinion piece in question is by “”””Conservative”””” Brett Stephens (if you save the article to Pocket you can read it without worrying about the paywall)
The most rigorous and comprehensive analysis of scientific studies conducted on the efficacy of masks for reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19 — was published late last month. Its conclusions, said Tom Jefferson, the Oxford epidemiologist who is its lead author, were unambiguous.
“There is just no evidence that they” — masks — “make any difference,” he told the journalist Maryanne Demasi. “Full stop.”
But, wait, hold on. What about N-95 masks, as opposed to lower-quality surgical or cloth masks?
“Makes no difference — none of it,” said Jefferson.
What about the studies that initially persuaded policymakers to impose mask mandates?
“They were convinced by nonrandomized studies, flawed observational studies.”
We all knew they really made no difference early on in COVIDtime, and when all the mask mandates were being imposed. If they were so good, why was it that all the Elites and politicians were taking them off indoors to speak to people? Why did Biden take his off when he stood up at the podium to speak to the press? Same with Jen Psaki. And Democratic Party governors implementing mask mandates? And Elites at places like the Super Bowl? The examples just keep coming and coming
There’s a final lesson. The last justification for masks is that, even if they proved to be ineffective, they seemed like a relatively low-cost, intuitively effective way of doing something against the virus in the early days of the pandemic. But “do something” is not science, and it shouldn’t have been public policy. And the people who had the courage to say as much deserved to be listened to, not treated with contempt. They may not ever get the apology they deserve, but vindication ought to be enough.
No, it’s not enough. It’s definitely not enough. People need to pay a price for their COVID insanity. I understand the things in the first month or two, because the entire world was freaking out, particularly after the meltdown in Italy. But, we really started to know more quickly, yet, the Powers That Be still pushed their COVID tyranny. One Missouri Republican wants Jackson County to refund mask fines to businesses.
And some really want a reckoning, as Steve Deace points out on his radio show (I read an article on this via Real Clear Politics in the last week or 2, having trouble finding it again.) He and Daniel Horowitz have a book out entitled Rise of the Fourth Reich: Confronting COVID Fascism with a New Nuremberg Trial, So This Never Happens Again. It won’t happen, because too many really liked all the authority given to government, and the media, which should be exposing this stuff, are in bed with the Fascists. Seriously, how many in the Credentialed Media are giving real coverage to the mask study?
Read: Hooray! NY Times Finally Covers Scientific Study That Masks Do Not Work »
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