A quote:
Here is an article on the situation that includes a quote from the subject review that caught my eye when i looked at the review a few weeks ago: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/202 ... 3kg5WGcNEkMany commentators have claimed that a recently-updated Cochrane Review shows that 'masks don't work', which is an inaccurate and misleading interpretation.
Here is the quote that immediately told me the review did NOT get to the question of whether masks are effective if they are used as recommended:
The underlined portion brings to mind a pre-COVID-19 study on masking to reduce spread of influenza that I bookmarked. it is at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/15/2/08-1167_article . Here is a key language from the abstract:“The high risk of bias in the trials, variation in outcome measurement, and relatively low adherence with the interventions during the studies hampers drawing firm conclusions,”
We found that adherence to mask use significantly reduced the risk for ILI-associated infection, but <50% of participants wore masks most of the time. We concluded that household use of face masks is associated with low adherence and is ineffective for controlling seasonal respiratory disease.
in other words: The problem wasn't that masks didn't work. The problem is that people didn't wear them consistently.Intent-to-treat analysis showed no significant difference in the relative risk of ILI in the mask use groups compared with the control group; however, <50% of those in the mask use groups reported wearing masks most of the time. Adherence to mask use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of ILI-associated infection. We concluded that household use of masks is associated with low adherence and is ineffective in controlling seasonal ILI. If adherence were greater, mask use might reduce transmission during a severe influenza pandemic.
What was needed during the worst part of the COVID-19 situation was a consistent message. We didn't get that. We got a constant drumbeat of
"masks don't work" misinformation.