The last few chapters demonstrate that face masks do not work. This information is not new information.
The face mask is an enduring example of that. It has been observed that the politics of science is so ingrained in the field that “Science only changes one dead scientist at a time.” Hopefully, the face mask debacle of 2020 and 2021 is the last hurrah for the superstitious practice of masking.
Below are further examples of other medical researchers saying face masks do not work. Emphasis has been added below.
Tom Jefferson in the April 7, 2020, article “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Part 1 — Face masks, eye protection and person distancing: systematic review and meta-analysis,”1 writes:
“There was no reduction of influenza-like illnesses when healthcare workers or the general population wore masks.”2
Jeffrey D. Smith, in the article “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting healthcare workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published on March 7, 2016, writes that face masks:
“Did not show any benefit against the transmission of acute respiratory infections.”3
Faisal bin-Reza, in the December 21, 2011, article “The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence,” writes the wearing of face masks:
“Resulted in no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory confirmed influenza.”4
N.J. Mitchell and S. Hunt, in the July 18, 1991, article “Surgical face masks in modern operating rooms — a costly and unnecessary ritual?” writes:
“This study found no difference in wound infection rates with and without surgical masks.”5
Seongman Bae et al. in the April 6, 2020, article “Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton Masks in Blocking SARS–CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients,” writes:
“Neither surgical nor cotton masks effectively filtered Sars-Cov-2 during coughs by infected patients.6
Neil W. M. Orr, in the November 1981 article “Is a mask necessary in the operating theater,” published in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England,7 writes that they:
“Found no difference in wound infection rates whether or not surgeons wore surgical masks.”
Göran Tunevall wrote a paper called, “Postoperative wound infections and surgical face masks: a controlled study,” which was published in World Journal Surgery in 1991. The author noted the use of masks in surgery were found to slightly increase incidence of infection over not masking in a study of 3,088 surgeries. The surgeons’ masks were found to give no protective effect to the patients.8
Let me repeat the finding of that last one: Masks are so counterproductive that if you are having a surgery and your surgeon wears a mask, you are more likely to get an infection than if he does not wear a mask.
The idea of face masks as a mere talisman and ineffective against disease transmission has been demonstrated repeatedly.
Old habits die hard though.
Jefferson T, Mar CBD, Dooley L, et al. Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2011. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd006207.pub4
Jefferson T, Jones M, Al-Ansary L, et al. Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Part 1 — Face masks, eye protection and person distancing: systematic review and meta-analysis. 2020. doi:10.1101/2020.03.30.20047217
Smith JD, Macdougall CC, Johnstone J, Copes RA, Schwartz B, Garber GE. Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2016;188(8):567-574. do
Bin-Reza F, Chavarrias VL, Nicoll A, Chamberland ME. The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 2011;6(4):257-267. doi:10.1111/j.1750-2659.2011.00307.x
Mitchell NJ, Hunt S. Surgical face masks in modern operating rooms — a costly and unnecessary ritual? Journal of Hospital Infection. 1991;18(3):239-242. doi:10.1016/0195-6701(91)90148-2
Bae S, Kim M-C, Kim JY, et al. Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton Masks in Blocking SARS–CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2020;173(1). doi:10.7326/m20-1342
Orr NW. Is a mask necessary in the operating theatre? Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 1981;63(6):390–392.
Tunevall TG. Postoperative wound infections and surgical face masks: A controlled study. World Journal of Surgery. 1991;15(3):383-387. doi:10.1007/bf01658736