[andomar]

All research I can find shows that masks are largely ineffective, i.e. 100,000 people have to wear a mask to prevent 1 infection. Some research suggests masks make things worse by creating a moist cloud in front of your mouth. For example https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577

Where can I find research that confirms masks work?

[zopppo]

Did you see this part in the link you shared?

"The authors of this article, published in 2015, have written a response to their work in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge our readers to consider the response when reading the article. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577.responses#covid-..."

[andomar]

New to me, but did you read their response? It says "The study found that cloth mask wearers had higher rates of infection than even the standard practice control group of health workers" but they say that health care workers should follow guidance.

[tgb]

The standard practice group includes significant mask wear, so the comparison cannot conclude that cloth is worse than nothing.

[EliRivers]

standard practice control group of health workers

Would not standard practice be to wear proper masks?

Yes, here we go: "some subjects in the control arm wore surgical masks." And indeed, someone comments "The control arm had less than 1% of no mask use".

[jcranmer]

My understanding is that [cloth] masks are largely not about preventing you from catching COVID, but from preventing you from spreading COVID (as you may not be aware you are infectious due to being presymptomatic/asymptomatic).

[dakna]

There is a significant difference in effectiveness between cloth masks, surgical masks and n95 masks. You might want to read up on it at the CDC: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/10/20-0948_article

[jawarner]

I don't think this article is saying what you think it says. It's cautioning against cloth masks, like bandanas. It actually affirms that medical masks, those typically used, do work.

[jdhn]

I think the point that the parent is making isn't that medical masks (N95) don't work, it's that the cloth masks aren't as effective as people think they are.

[tgb]

It doesn't even say that! There's no no-mask control group to compare against. (And FYI not all medical masks are N95, probably most aren't. It appears that the ones studied there are not N95 but rather the standard disposable surgical masks.)

[andomar]

Well most people do use cloth masks. That's good too! The existing professional masks should go to healthcare workers.

[istorical]

Cloth mask != surgical mask.

Surgical masks are widely available and not solely for healthcare workers.

[Kiro]

It's clear at this point that masks are not the panacea. Countries with mask mandates still have a big spread. Masks should be a complement to social distancing and other more effective measures.

[mywacaday]

They may not be the panacea but they reduce cases significantly. Look at Japan which had a strong culture of wearing masks even before COVID.

https://georank.org/covid/japan/united-states

[Kiro]

The numbers in Japan are most likely severely underreported. It's extremely hard to get tested. You pretty much need to have been in contact with someone confirmed infected or hospitalized to get a test. It's a catch-22.

But even with the confirmed cases the trend in Japan is worrying, especially compared to other countries in Asia. They're setting new records every day: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201201_36/

With that said, I absolutely think the mask culture in Japan has dampened the surge a lot. In countries without this people just do the bare minimum to be compliant, so we have all these chin-wearers and nose-flashers. We're simply hopeless at wearing masks even with the strictest of mask mandates. So even if masks could reduce the spread significantly we're not likely to see the effect of that here.

[ghaff]

>Japan which had a strong culture of wearing masks

Which is only sorta true in the sense that people who are sick often wear them and they're not almost unheard of like in the West. But pre-pandemic, go out on a crowded street in Tokyo and you probably wouldn't see more than a few masks if you saw any.

[fomine3]

IIRC 10-30% of people wear mask in winter before covid.

[beervirus]

They're not a panacea, but they do help. And they're way less burdensome than lockdowns.

[chapium]

You need to do your own research, the onus is on you.