(Peer Reviewed) Study finds mask mandates have no substantial effect on slowing COVID-19 spread

Yet another (peer-reviewed) study confirming what most ATS members already know.

"For our study, we wanted to determine if effects of mask mandates and use were observable in the general population," Dr. Damian Guerra, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Louisville, said. "Essentially, did the theory of mask effectiveness hold up on a population-wide level?"

"It appears that mandates and typical mask use among the public have no substantial impact on COVID-19 growth," Guerra said.

"While growth rates did decline in states after mask mandates became effective, rates declined to a similar degree in states without mandates," he added.

Article link
Study link
Because this topic has been so outrageously politicized, and the country is so divided along party lines rather than what the science actually says, I expect that this study will be ignored, squashed, or fade away, and its authors will suffer something akin to being cancelled. I'd like to be wrong about that, but the last 18 months plus doesn't give me much hope for any other outcome.

a reply to: Klassified
There is a lot of information in this article, but a quote I think is pertinent to the OP because it has been discussed here is...

"Surgical or cloth masks are safe for most people for short periods of time. However, chronic use is associated with enhanced susceptibility to skin barrier breakdown due to pH changes in facial skin. This can promote subsequent infection by bacteria," he explained.

"Repeatedly taking off and putting on the same mask, touching a mask with unwashed hands, or wearing a used mask increase the likelihood of upper respiratory tract infections," he added, noting that health care workers have reported greater fatigue, headaches, and psychological stress from mask-wearing. The study also notes that masks can "interfere with social learning in children."

Here again, this is just confirmation of what most of us already know, but I think this article shows masks should be a choice, not a mandate.

a reply to: Klassified

If the search engines weren't owned by evil attempting to control us all, everyone would easily see that the CDC, Anthony Fauci, Researchers, all concluded during the H1N1 Pandemic of 2008, that ONLY N-95 masks are effective against viruses.

Furthermore, July 2020 CDC study: 85% of those in the hospital for Covid-19, wore the masks we see on everyone everyday.

Wouldn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable. It's in the name of equality doncha know.

I say let those who feel safe in a mask wear them. Bless their hearts if they feel better that way. Many of us, however, will continue to allow the sun to shine on our faces. I will continue not wearing a mask.

It's good to see studies like this being released, but I agree that many will ignore it. It seems that most have made up their minds which side of the aisle they stand on during the past 18 months.

Masks, injections, restrictions

or

No mask, immune system, freedom.

The holes in a mask only get as small as 6 microns.

The virus is as small as 2 microns.

You've got better odds of breathing it in than knocking down the metal milk bottles, with a softball, at the carnival.

originally posted by: Klassified
Yet another (peer-reviewed) study confirming what most ATS members already know.

"For our study, we wanted to determine if effects of mask mandates and use were observable in the general population," Dr. Damian Guerra, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Louisville, said. "Essentially, did the theory of mask effectiveness hold up on a population-wide level?"

"It appears that mandates and typical mask use among the public have no substantial impact on COVID-19 growth," Guerra said.

"While growth rates did decline in states after mask mandates became effective, rates declined to a similar degree in states without mandates," he added.

Article link
Study link
Because this topic has been so outrageously politicized, and the country is so divided along party lines rather than what the science actually says, I expect that this study will be ignored, squashed, or fade away, and its authors will suffer something akin to being cancelled. I'd like to be wrong about that, but the last 18 months plus doesn't give me much hope for any other outcome.

Well
If you understand what those masks do and are intended for, this is no suprise.

Thanks for the info!

Authorities who want our obedience and money are panicking, because Covid-19 is burning itself out.

Due to reinfections being rare, fewer cases are being reported, as more and more people become Covid-19 recoverees.

A good thing! (For you and me)

The whole thing is a "mask-uerade" and mass(k) hysteria 🌭

Too many people on "auto-believe" with no proof (or tainted proof-lies) 😵‍💫

The vast majority of infection takes place via self inoculation of face touching. Wearing mask has little effect on infection.

If people are sick and coughing, they should have masks in the store for free that they could put on. It will help curb the spread of all viruses and bacteria in the environment. This should be voluntary, make the masks available and they can be plain old cheap paper ones. People must learn to not judge someone for wearing a mask in a store. If people are susceptable to this virus and other diseases we should not blast them for wearing a mask, it needs to be socially acceptable for them to wear a mask...no arguing should occur.

I am not fond of mandates on masks, but we have to change our society to make them ok to wear...quit calling these people paranoid. At normal breathing, the virus particles will somewhat stick to the mask if they are present. viruses will stick to the mesh of the mask loosely, being attracted to the cloth or paper if there is not a lot of heavy breathing going on or yelling.

If this virus was worse, I would say mandating masks might be necessary and I definitely think that social distancing needs to be part of our society too. Social distancing will also lower the incidences of pickpocketers, I am sure they hate social distancing. It is making their job harder.

I read a lot of science and know that you can make the results say what you want them to say if you set the parameters of the research the way you want it too. Masks help somewhat in normal conditions, in a gym...forget it, they are worthless.

I saw people around here when the covid first started in stores blasting people who wore them, they laughed at them...that is not acceptable behavior to do that. I see a mix of masked and unmasked in places now but a lot of people who would like to wear them are afraid that others will judge them as hypochondriacs. Which is wrong, risk assessment should be done more, and I will never laugh at someone for wearing a mask in a store...some people have allergies, they should be able to wear a mask when walking down the sidewalk this time of year...I have seasonal allergies but only get muccousy most times. If the ragweed pollen is high, I should actually wear a mask out in the yard doing things. I wore a mask a lot in my profession, I did lots of insulating which requires a mask if you don't want to feel like crap all the time. I also stock masks for sanding and grinding metal to ready to paint...that stuff is really hard on your lungs, I have respirators for painting cars, those would be an overkill to wear in the store.

Don't judge people who are wearing a mask out in public...unless they are robbing a store.

This is hilarious. As I've posted before my ex-girlfriend was an Air Force nurse, trained in Infectious Disease. When we went back into Iraq in 2003 she was part of the team that would have responded if there would have been a Biologic attack. She's told me and others that masks were non-effective. In fact some of the information she showed me stated that masks might even increase the amount of infection.

Now other studies proving the same thing are coming forward. To me this is "The Science".

What is crazy is that when I state that this is my opinion, I'm called everything from a Trump turd to a White Supremacist. When I ask for studies that show masks as being effective, I get references to articles from MSNBC, CNN, ABC....etc. When I go to those articles there's either no reference to the study that they are referring to or the study is based on a survey, State's reported numbers or the CDC's numbers. When I started working with computers, I learned an acronym. It was GIGO.
If you put Garbage In, you get Garbage Out. With the States and CDC constantly revising their numbers up and down, to me their data is garbage.

The masks are good in terms of a psychological identifier to the sheeple. It indicates you are a part of their herd and they feel supported from the feeling of safety is portrays. No amount of facts, reasoning or common sense will override their core fear of not being a part of the herd.

a reply to: starshift

Maybe it is time to cull the heard.

a reply to: rickymouse
I don't think that peer review is perfect, but this study IS peer reviewed, which makes it harder to make the study say what you want it to say. The study disagrees with some of your points. However, as I have already stated, I DO agree that masks should be a choice, not a mandate.

originally posted by: Klassified
a reply to: rickymouse
I don't think that peer review is perfect, but this study IS peer reviewed, which makes it harder to make the study say what you want it to say. The study disagrees with some of your points. However, as I have already stated, I DO agree that masks should be a choice, not a mandate.

Peer review by like minded reviewers are not always the truth. Remember that when reading the articles. How many peer reviewed articles stated masks work. The truth is somewhere between.....common sense is needed to evaluate if you should wear one or not in a situation. Those susceptable to the virus turning covid should take precautions to guarantee their own health...mandating everyone wear masks is not acceptable especially if the risk is low. There are side effects to wearing a mask too. I am neither pro or anti mask, I think people should decide if they want to wear a mask and I always have a mask in the car now and will wear it if I feel the risk is high of getting any disease. In a Hospital or doctors office, masks should be mandated, in fact they should have mandated them years ago with all the sick people that are sitting in the waiting room that are sick.

a reply to: Klassified

Study proves that states where people ignore mask mandates gain little to no benefit from having mask mandates?

I like grocery shopping without being bothered, so I wear a mask. I also like having a job, so I wear a mask at work. I am a sheeple.

originally posted by: joejack1949
I like grocery shopping without being bothered, so I wear a mask. I also like having a job, so I wear a mask at work. I am a sheeple.

The question is, will you draw the line somewhere, at any point? Or would you be willing to, for example, get some sort of "mark" so that you can go shopping without being bothered?

originally posted by: AaarghZombies
a reply to: Klassified

Study proves that states where people ignore mask mandates gain little to no benefit from having mask mandates?

almost. The study shows that mask mandates don't change the outcome, places without mask mandates did just the same.

Now it's important to note that in places were masks weren't mandated, some people still wore masks, as was and is their right. But if you ignore that those who chose not to wear masks didn't gain or loose anything, the overarching point is mask mandates don't work and shouldn't be a thing we in the year 2021 even consider. In fact, mandating anything other than being nice should be outlawed.

I will say this experiment did show the true nature of those who wish to control others, and they are now out in the open.

a reply to: carewemust

That's the entire reason behind all the variants, to keep the fear going. Either they'll succeed and have complete control or more people will start to wake up and push back. They're already starting to push a Mu variant.

a reply to: joejack1949

I've never been bothered anywhere by not wearing a mask. It may have bothered others, but that, again, never bothered me either.