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by pepperberg 1789 days ago
Source? A RCT from 2019 found "no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza" between N95 and medical masks.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31479137/

2 comments

It is linked in the source.... https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577.long

Penetration of cloth masks = 97%

Penetration of N95 = 44%

I don't think you and parent disagree. Parent claims X=0.5, you claim X=Y.
Here's a good summary by Cochrane from 2020:

"There is uncertainty about the effects of face masks. The low‐moderate certainty of the evidence means our confidence in the effect estimate is limited, and that the true effect may be different from the observed estimate of the effect. The pooled results of randomised trials did not show a clear reduction in respiratory viral infection with the use of medical/surgical masks during seasonal influenza. There were no clear differences between the use of medical/surgical masks compared with N95/P2 respirators in healthcare workers when used in routine care to reduce respiratory viral infection. Hand hygiene is likely to modestly reduce the burden of respiratory illness. Harms associated with physical interventions were under‐investigated."

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD...