I’m prepared to be heavily downvoted for this, as I know my comment may not be a popular one, but the most important consideration in this study, and the conclusions it draws, is this one:
“To assess whether recommending surgical mask use outside the home reduces wearers' risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a setting where masks were uncommon and not among recommended public health measures”
The reason why that’s important is because the current scientific position is that masks are effective, but only if we all wear them. That’s because they’re the most effective at stopping the wearer from unknowingly spreading the disease and not necessarily as a safe guard against contracting it. This study seems to support that conclusion, because of what I quoted from it above. In other words, if no one is wearing masks, then wearing one to protect just yourself probably won’t work. But if we all wear them, especially if we’re sick, then that’s what is being claimed helps.
Now, even those conclusions aren’t ridged, and it’s possible they change their minds. Personally I hate masks as the ear elastics pull on my ears and give me tension headaches, but if there is even a bit of truth to masks helping, I’ll begrudgingly wear one. Remember even DJT wore a mask. He never made a show of it (and that’s what really pissed off the media), but he did say numerous times that he wore one, and he didn’t think they were a bad idea.
I’m prepared to be heavily downvoted for this, as I know my comment may not be a popular one, but the most important consideration in this study, and the conclusions it draws, is this one:
“To assess whether recommending surgical mask use outside the home reduces wearers' risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a setting where masks were uncommon and not among recommended public health measures”
The reason why that’s important is because the current scientific position is that masks are effective, but only if we all wear them. That’s because they’re the most effective at stopping the wearer from unknowingly spreading the disease and not necessarily as a safe guard against contracting it. This study seems to support that conclusion, because of what I quoted from it above. In other words, if no one is wearing masks, then wearing one to protect just yourself probably won’t work. But if we all wear them, especially if we’re sick, then that’s what is being claimed helps.
Now, even those conclusions aren’t ridged, and it’s possible they change their minds. Personally I hate masks as the ear elastics pull on my ears and give me tension headaches, but if there is even a bit of truth to masks helping, I’ll begrudgingly wear one. Remember even DJT wore a mask. He never made a show of it (and that’s what really pissed off the media), but he did say numerous times that he wore one, and he didn’t think they were a bad idea.