Cameranut,

The difference is that wearing car seatbelts and motorcycle helmets is a legal requirement with negative consequences associated with individual noncompliance, whereas, wearing a cloth mask is merely a "guideline". By definition, a guideline is optional (recommendation, suggestion, advice) at the individual's discretion. And we know, humans do not follow all the recommendations, suggestions, and advice they are presented with (smoking, drugs, exercise, diet, stress, work, education, the list goes on). The wearing of cloth masks guideline is the same.

If we want to force everyone to wear masks, then Congress needs to pass a law making it mandatory and the president has to sign it into law. Then we have to allow law enforcement to enforce the law and the courts to punish violators. In my opinion, this will never occur for COVID-19.

My best "guideline" is to wear your mask and avoid anyone who does not wear one.

Daryl

I'm not sure which "guideline" you are referring to, but this comes from the Health Authorities in our Indiana county. When the Governor announced our 'shutdown', a reporter from our county asked if local authorities could make more strict requirements, and the Governor said "Yes". Incidentally, our current Governor was Mike Pence's Lieutenant, and took over when Mike joined the President's team. Indiana is usually considered to be a ruby-red state, since it has only voted "blue" once since 1964. This order is "2-2020", which extends order "1-2020" which originated the order effective until July 4th.

https://www.sbrchamber.com/news/2020/06/29/default/st.-joseph-county-issues-new-public-health-order-2-2020-effective-through-september-7-extending-face-coverings-in-public-spaces/

Well I watched the video as you suggested and then went to his website and reviewed the studies he referred to in this video and other articles authored by him. Here are a few of my conclusions.

1) The studies were about protecting ME (the wearer), not YOU (the other person).

2) most of the study conclusions were inconclusive as many of the studies were grossly under-powered, i.e. low sample size. The studies also focused on the ME not the YOU.

3) Many of his references were meta-analysis. A meta-analysis is one step above a guess for a variety of reasons. The studies focused on the ME not the YOU

4) Some of the studies concluded that while N95 masks were effective for HC workers, they weren't recommended for the general public because improper fitting and use making them ineffective for the USER.
Again they focused on the ME not the YOU.

5) The studies evaluated masks as the ONLY preventative measure for the ME, not in combination with other preventative measures and the impact on YOU.

The world agrees that masks (of any kind) offer only limited benefit to the ME (user) but to extend that conclusion to the YOU is not only wrong, but may be dangerous. They also agree that masks by themselves aren't the answer, but just one important tool in the world's toolbox to reduce the pathogen spread.

On a personal level (opinion):

Wearing a mask still feels better even though I know there only a limited personal benefit. Any barrier to the aerosol is better than none at all.

On a practical level (fact):

Every surgeon goes into the OR gowned and masked, not to protect him, but the patient on the operating table. This is almost universal. And the surgeon doesn't typically use N95, but general surgical masks.

In infectious environments in hospitals it's not uncommon to have the patient wear a mask in addition to the caregiver. This reduces (not eliminate) transmission in both directions, protecting both the patient and the caregiver.

On a macro level (fact):

Countries that habitually use masks have better outcomes. For instance, S Korea and Japan. During flu season, masks are very common, not so much to protect ME, but as respect for YOU in their societies. They both have a strong sense of community and general respect for others around them, not wanting to spread their infection.

S Korea uses face masks as one element of many to reduce the pandemic impact. In a county with a population over 50M, they've only had 285 covid related deaths. Now compare that with CA's 6500 deaths with a population of only 40M or the 35K deaths in NY with a population of only 20M.

Japan is similar. With a population of 125M, they've only had 980 covid related deaths. They also didn't use lack of testing as an excuse, they've only done a total of 380K covid tests, while CA is doing 100K per day. Mask use there isn't the only mitigation element, but just of of many. It's highly unlikely that without masks Japan would have had these kind of results.

Nor did these two countries shut down their society as we did.

I was tickled to review a Chinese study referenced but this guy. The paper concluded that it wasn't wise for the general public to wear masks (for influenza). Before the pandemic, S Korea performers visiting China were mocked for wearing masks there. But when the pandemic began, China went on a worldwide buying spree vacuuming up all the PPE they could find. During the pandemic they made face masks mandatory. Even if they under reported their results by 10X, they still had grossly better outcomes in this pandemic than us. Face masks were integral with with other mitigation methods to reduce the pandemic impact on their society. Look at pictures of China today and you'll see almost everyone wearing face masks.

Then as a final thought, how many HC workers does one think would agree to work in covid ICU's around the world that would seriously consider face masks as worthless or even dangerous?

Most people here seem to be in favor of wearing a mask. Me being the contrary ass at times decided to say otherwise.

Listed here are 10 web sites I’ve read recently regarding DO NOT wear a mask. I also have about as many sites to wear a mask. There are many pros and cons to mask wearing.


Here is an article that includes a Neurosurgeon’s warning about the dangers of facemarks.
‪https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/megan-fox/2020/05/14/neurosurgeon-says-face-masks-pose-serious-risk-to-healthy-people-n392431‬

Neurosurgeon Says Face Masks Pose Serious Risk to Healthy People

‪https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/megan-fox/2020/05/14/neurosurgeon-says-face-masks-pose-serious-risk-to-healthy-people-n392431‬


Here’s the link. I am not an expert on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) but the inventor of PCR technique declared it was NOT reliable for diagnostic testing, only for manufacturing enough samples to do research on
‪https://uncoverdc.com/2020/04/07/was-the-covid-19-test-meant-to-detect-a-virus/‬

despite the medical data that show not only the futility of a rag over the face but the potential harm, and despite the fact that herd immunity suffers from artificial “flattening of the curve,” people are persisting in the illusion that a facial covering can make them safe.
Control and dehumanising us all ‪https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/06/until_we_have_faces_the_american_niqaab.html‬


Flu killed 80k people in the U.S. last year. None of you were afraid because the media didn’t tell you to be!

‪https://www.statnews.com/2018/09/26/cdc-us-flu-deaths-winter/‬



‪https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340570735_Masks_Don't_Work_A_review_of_science_relevant_to_COVID-19_social_policy‬    


Best article I’ve read on the masks
‪https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/06/until_we_have_faces_the_american_niqaab.html‬

Best article I’ve read on the masks of submission:
‪https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/4927-the-cult-of-the-mask‬

Scientific studies confirm MASKS DON’T WORK in flu epidemics……
‪https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/masks-dont-work-covid-a-review-of-science-relevant-to-covide-19-social-policy?fbclid=IwAR3Zj4tF_uc6uxuj7lkIGoGl3LjICv_VzxrV7UIPXR_LtotQ7UR3nkTAbME‬


‪Masks are killing our immune systems‬

‪https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/masks-dont-work-covid-a-review-of-science-relevant-to-covide-19-social-policy?fbclid=IwAR3Zj4tF_uc6uxuj7lkIGoGl3LjICv_VzxrV7UIPXR_LtotQ7UR3nkTAbME ‬


Here’s more information:
7 Long-Term Side Effects of Wearing Face Masks
Shortness of Breath and Lightheadedness
Headaches
Acne
Development of Chronic Dermatitis
A Weakened Immune System
Skin Wrinkles
Development of Chronic Respiratory Conditions
‪https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/medical/7-long-term-side-effects-of-wearing-face-masks/ss-BB15mSnO#image=2‬


Mask don’t work 
Especially knowing this…
‪https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/masks-dont-work-covid-a-review-of-science-relevant-to-covide-19-social-policy?fbclid=IwAR3Zj4tF_uc6uxuj7lkIGoGl3LjICv_VzxrV7UIPXR_LtotQ7UR3nkTAbME‬


BTW I do wear a mask when out and about

Cameranut,

The difference is that wearing car seatbelts and motorcycle helmets is a legal requirement with negative consequences associated with individual noncompliance, whereas, wearing a cloth mask is merely a "guideline". By definition, a guideline is optional (recommendation, suggestion, advice) at the individual's discretion. And we know, humans do not follow all the recommendations, suggestions, and advice they are presented with (smoking, drugs, exercise, diet, stress, work, education, the list goes on). The wearing of cloth masks guideline is the same.

If we want to force everyone to wear masks, then Congress needs to pass a law making it mandatory and the president has to sign it into law. Then we have to allow law enforcement to enforce the law and the courts to punish violators. In my opinion, this will never occur for COVID-19.

My best "guideline" is to wear your mask and avoid anyone who does not wear one.

Daryl