North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has repeatedly said that his decisions regarding COVID-19 restrictions are based on “the science, the data and the facts.”
On June 24, Cooper by executive order made wearing a mask in public mandatory across the state.
But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the science the data and the facts that wearing a mask stops the spread of COVID-19 aren’t there.
On the web page “Public Health Guidance for Community-Related Exposure” (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html) is this note about how to treat exposure to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or who has tested positive. “Note: This is irrespective of whether the person with COVID-19 or the contact was wearing a mask or whether the contact was wearing respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE).” So according to the CDC the same procedures are involved whether the person with COVID-19 was wearing a mask or not, which indicates that the CDC doesn’t believe that wearing a mask is going to prevent someone from being infected if they come in contact with a person who has COVID-19.
A footnote on this page explains more about the efficacy of wearing a mask. “While research indicates masks may help those who are infected from spreading the infection, there is less information regarding whether masks offer any protection for a contact exposed to a symptomatic or asymptomatic patient. Therefore, the determination of close contact should be made irrespective of whether the person with COVID-19 or the contact was wearing a mask. Because the general public has not received training on proper selection and the use of respiratory PPE, it cannot be certain whether respiratory PPE worn during contact with an individual with COVID-19 infection protected them from exposure.”
The public also has not “received training on the proper selection and use” of masks.
“While research indicates masks may help” is not exactly a ringing endorsement that masks work, but it does say that the CDC can’t say that they don’t work.
Face shields, which according to Cooper’s executive order can be worn instead of masks, have even less science, data and facts going for them. The CDC on a page titled “Considerations for Wearing Masks” (https:/CD/www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/) states, “A face shield is primarily used for eye protection for the person wearing it. At this time, it is not known what level of protection a face shield provides to people nearby from the spray of respiratory droplets from the wearer. There is currently not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of face shields for source control.”
Many people who get Covid are asymptomatic, and the CDC study you cite says while it is debatable if masks stop the reception of the virus, it stops those who are infected from spreading it to others. So yeah, I guess masks are important. That way you don’t spread a virus you might not even know you have.
Reading comprehension is critical. “While research indicates masks MAY help those who are infected from spreading the infection…” The key word here is MAY. The point of the article is to state that it does not say masks DO stop the spread. Your assertion that masks do stop the spread is false. Coughing into my tee shirt is just about as effective as wearing it on my face all the time since they are made of the same material.
“masks MAY help those who are infected from spreading the infection,” which means they also “MAT NOT”. Thus, masks “MAY” be important, but the point is the “science” is inconclusive.
A mask is not going to stop the spread of an aerosolized virus. The only thing that will prevent you from getting a virus is wearing a hazmat suit. You people better wake up or you’ll be enslaved soon.
While I may agree with you Bryan, my question is why did the CDC suddenly start telling people if you don’t show symptoms, there’s no need for you to get tested.
And if King Cooper is basing his actions on “…the science, the data and the facts.” which he’s getting from the CDC then how are we ever going to come out of this level 2 restriction crap he has us under?
“Trust me, I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Hi, Alan! Long-time reader definitely not a first-time responder.
As I’m sure you are aware, the chair of the CDC and the HHS are appointed positions. This makes it exceptionally difficult to just assume these folks are not influenced by their politics when making decisions and statements that have significant implications on the entire population. I’m not saying that IS what is happening here, but it is something people should consider.
To answer your question, I think Cooper and Cohen have been fairly clear on what they want to see in the data – decreasing trends and lower levels for # of positive cases and hospitalizations. The trends have been doing better lately, and the levels are starting to come down. There’s good hope for Sept. 11 to move us into phase 3 (or whatever it will be re-branded as). I think the sticking points are that positive tests are still above 5% (they have said consistently that below 5% is the goal) and that the trends have some variability in them questioning how reliable they might be. I do believe the college campuses are throwing a wrench into this because it is pretty silly to think that roughly 400-500k college aged kids that live in NC are going to be avoiding parties and wearing masks and socially distancing as their default behavior. Still, things appear to be getting a little bit better.
Personally, I am optimistic that we can continue to progress forward on Sept. 11.
MW
P.S. For the original post, hire someone with data analysis experience PLEASE. If we only used science the DOES and WILL do things or protect against things with 100% certainty, we’d be completely and utterly devoid of technology. Science does not work that way. Masks work, period. Just like your car or bus or bike or even legs MIGHT break down on the way to work, it is still your reliable transportation.
Alan are you suggesting that Cooper has “absolute power?’ That seems like a pretty absurd exaggeration.
Alan is like Trump. Full of lies and exaggerations justified by his desire to ‘win’ the argument against those that don’t agree with their narrow point of view. This of course only leading to division, distrust and at times even Hate. Very sad for our county’s future for returning to a democracy that cares about all peoples points of views and see compromise as success and NOT failure.
I have no problem wearing a mask indoors in public places. There is no need to wear one outdoors, that is the safest place to be. Crowds packed together not included, of course. Unless you are demonstrating or rioting.
The Coop way, or the highway.
Here’s a reality that Mask Karen Crowd won’t like: “This study provides strong statistical support for what so many have been observing for six months. The epidemic has a natural tendency to spread quickly at first and slow down, seemingly on its own, a point made not only here but as early as April 14 by Isaac Ben-Israel. Meanwhile governors imagine that very specific rules for opening bars and restaurants are the key to containment.
Governments have conducted an unprecedented social, economic, and political experiment in controlling whole populations’ behavior, with high economic and human cost. The authors ask the right question: has this experiment in government-managed virus control and suppression made a difference? The startling answer they found, after examining data from around the country and the world, is that the evidence simply is not there.
If we are concerned about the evidence on this global experiment, we must concede that most government authorities have likely acted in error.”
https://www.aier.org/article/lockdowns-and-mask-mandates-do-not-lead-to-reduced-covid-transmission-rates-or-deaths-new-study-suggests/
Please hillbillies, if you are reading this, don’t wear your masks.
I had previously posted a comment that was taken down stating what this article says to not wear a mask. Do you want people to agree with you or disagree?
My favorite sight is someone driving their own vehicle wearing one. Alone.
They have been “conditioned” as good little citizens. Stoopiditty reigns, Coop I Rex.
It happens all the time because when you actually have to wear a mask regularly, you sometimes forget you even have it on because it really isn’t a big deal.
Mask are good but I would like to know why did no one rioting in the streets in downtown greensboro had no mask on even COOPER AND THE MAYOR DID’t have a mask on WE THE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERS To This.
Not sure about the rioters, but the PROTESTERS mostly were wearing masks.
This article is either poorly researched or doesn’t consider case studies a formal type of ‘science’. While ‘big data’ on the subject is limited due to lack of tracking here in the US, the CDC has reviewed an approved multiple case studies on the subject of masks with the following quotes from the CDC website [released in July]:
“In an editorial published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), CDC reviewed the latest science and affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities. There is increasing evidence that cloth face coverings help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” said CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
This review included two case studies out today, one from JAMA, showing that adherence to universal masking policies reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission within a Boston hospital system, and one from CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), showing that wearing a mask prevented the spread of infection from two hair stylists to their customers in Missouri.”