It is mid October. We have more than six months of evidence documenting the value of wearing masks in the battle against COVID. Is there anyone out there that still is against wearing masks? Anonymous poll attached.

I haven't seen any of that evidence.  I hear a lot of opinions and a lot of wishful thinking, but no actual evidence/studies that I am aware of.  I did see this yesterday:

CDC DATA: A new study conducted by eleven medical institutions analyzed a group of people who tested positive for Covid in July. Here’s the interesting part: among those infected, more than 70 percent reported that they had "always" worn a mask for the preceding 14 days. Another 14.4 percent said they had “often" worn a mask. In other words, almost everyone who got coronavirus in July was wearing a mask. They got it anyway.

SOURCE: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6936a5-H.pdf

13 minutes ago, theguru said:

I haven't seen any of that evidence.  I hear a lot of opinions and a lot of wishful thinking, but no actual evidence/studies that I am aware of.  I did see this yesterday:

CDC DATA: A new study conducted by eleven medical institutions analyzed a group of people who tested positive for Covid in July. Here’s the interesting part: among those infected, more than 70 percent reported that they had "always" worn a mask for the preceding 14 days. Another 14.4 percent said they had “often" worn a mask. In other words, almost everyone who got coronavirus in July was wearing a mask. They got it anyway.

SOURCE: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6936a5-H.pdf

How many would get it without wearing masks?  I could say those numbers prove how contagious it is even while wearing masks.

I saw a story reporting well over 500 students and teachers at Mason Ohio schools have contracted COVID.  I would like to see how many of them were 100% mask wearers.  Knowing the make up of Warren County Ohio, I bet many of them avoid wearing masks.

Virtually all of the leaders who rebelled against masks now say masks should be worn. For example, Utah is now pushing mask wearing due to an outbreak. COVID numbers are increasing.

1 minute ago, Voice of Reason said:

How many would get it without wearing masks? 

I saw a story reporting well over 500 students and teachers at Mason Ohio schools have contracted COVID.  I would like to see how many of them were 100% mask wearers.  Knowing the make up of Warren County Ohio, I bet many of them avoid wearing masks.

Virtually all of the leaders who rebelled against masks now say masks should be worn. For example, Utah is now pushing mask wearing due to an outbreak. COVID numbers are increasing.

Who knows VoR but with nearly 85% of mask wearers getting COVID in that study I will continue to take my chances with no mask. 

What percent of people were not wearing masks?

If less than 5-10% of the people in July did not wear masks and yet they made up 30% of the cases, that is strong evidence in favor of masks. 

 It is dangerous to rely on partial numbers. You have to look at all the numbers to get the more accurate picture.

I wear one when I'm in businesses that ask you to, that's about it.

I wear them where I'm asked to wear them... I think that's the point. 

As Guru said, there aren’t enough studies.  However the masks the general public wears is not likely going to protect the wearer.  The intended purpose is to minimize droplets that we all put out when we breathe and talk. The theory being that if everyone wears them we protect each other (at least that is my understanding).  Only N95 masks will truly protect the wearer.

I work in a hospital.  We wear standard hospital paper masks all day, and N95 masks when we do Covid tests or caring for someone suspected of having COVID. I will say that we haven’t had one case of CV traced to work place exposure in my department.  Granted, that is not statistical proof that masks work, but it is indicative that they do.

5 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

How many would get it without wearing masks?  I could say those numbers prove how contagious it is even while wearing masks.

I saw a story reporting well over 500 students and teachers at Mason Ohio schools have contracted COVID.  I would like to see how many of them were 100% mask wearers.  Knowing the make up of Warren County Ohio, I bet many of them avoid wearing masks.

Virtually all of the leaders who rebelled against masks now say masks should be worn. For example, Utah is now pushing mask wearing due to an outbreak. COVID numbers are increasing.

What’s the make up of Warren County?

7 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

It is mid October. We have more than six months of evidence documenting the value of wearing masks in the battle against COVID. Is there anyone out there that still is against wearing masks? Anonymous poll attached.

I am against wearing masks, but I wear one almost everywhere I go. 

30 minutes ago, PP1 said:

I am against wearing masks, but I wear one almost everywhere I go. 

And that is the way it should be if you are opposed. Appreciate your courtesy.

Haven't worn one since the beginning. 

I have no problem wearing a mask.  The least I can do.

11 hours ago, Kentucky Windage said:

Haven't worn one since the beginning. 

 Going very strict on the social distancing then. That works too.

1 hour ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

I have no problem wearing a mask.  The least I can do.

Exactly. On a scale of 1-100, this registers as a 1 on the sacrifice scale. It is a minor inconvenience and it baffles me to see the resistance movement to them.

My basic protocols:

- Going indoors and traveling throughout a building, mask is on. Once settled and spaced out I will remove it.

- I am big on air circulation/filtration. Outdoor gatherings, even flying I have minimal concern with.

- If asked to wear one, I gladly do so.

- If there is a mass gathering indoors with no masks on, I avoid it. In short, use some common sense. You do this, life doesn't have to be on pause.

I have accepted that the only true way out of this is with a vaccine. We are not to be inconvenienced in our everyday lives and have set the low bar for handling this thing. We are the laughing stock of the world, but whatever. I am beyond blessed our doctors (you know, the people we no longer trust) have found a way to minimize the impact of this thing and are saving lives each day.

We are at what, 215,000 deaths? With everything we have (or haven't) done that is remarkable. And for the crowd that disputes the 215,000 and think numbers are cooked, in honor of COVID-19, I always set the number at 19% of this, so about 41,000. That's a lot of people.