{"id":1213,"date":"2020-07-20T11:59:08","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T17:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.conservativelefty.com\/wp\/?p=1213"},"modified":"2020-07-21T10:29:39","modified_gmt":"2020-07-21T16:29:39","slug":"why-this-clinical-scientist-opposes-masks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.conservativelefty.com\/wp\/?p=1213","title":{"rendered":"Why this clinical scientist opposes masks"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Umm… just to clarify. This isn’t a picture of me. It’s a category A hazmat suit here for satire.<\/p><\/div>\n

Why don’t I wear a mask?\u00a0 Or when I do, it’s a folded chiffon scarf<\/a>? This answer is a bit long. It’s not a matter of political position, but clinical efficacy.\u00a0 It’s also not a new debate.\u00a0 I’ve found references of the tensions on the subject going back to the Spanish flu of 1918.<\/p>\n

You’ll notice in the list, I’m not basing arguments on what CNN or FNC or any talking heads. These are all serious scientific positions. As one clinical article puts it:<\/p>\n

“In conclusion there remains a substantial gap in the scientific literature on the effectiveness of face masks to reduce transmission of influenza virus infection. While there is some experimental evidence that masks should be able to reduce infectiousness under controlled conditions, there is less evidence on whether this translates to effectiveness in natural settings. There is little evidence to support the effectiveness of face masks to reduce the risk of infection.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What evidence there is for natural settings is not significant. And, before someone chimes in with the “But if there is any chance…” argument, all that does is show that you don’t know what the term means. Anybody who understands the phrase, “Is not distinguishable from random error,” will not even try this argument. Besides, there is clinical evidence of the harm and that same argument can be thrown back at you.<\/p>\n

Basically, you don’t take an extreme action on a “just in case.” Good practice is that you protect your most vulnerable populations or high risk populations.<\/p>\n

So if you wonder why the CDC technical<\/em>\u00a0guidance says both yes and no at the same time and is filled with caveats, or there are disclaimers on masks in the store regarding their usefulness, these are some<\/em> of the reasons why. Sometimes they are disguised for those who don’t know how to read them, but they are there.\u00a0 This last bit also connects with the “Then why are experts recommending them?” question. The answer to that is way outside the scope of this<\/em>\u00a0simple literature review.\u00a0 I’ll leave it at that in my over 30 years of clinical science and medical devices, clinical policy, IMHO, is\u00a0never<\/em> based strictly on clinical science.\u00a0 Clinical perception is always a component.\u00a0 Sometimes the driving one.<\/p>\n

Some mask articles that get to why I do not support mask use, with a very<\/strong> nutshell takeaway:<\/p>\n