They are not my premises, these are facts and numbers cited in an NPR article. So, for what you say, if the premises are true, the conclusion it true. Of course there are a number of confounds and the conclusion is, well, not fully conclusive, but numbers don’t lie. You may take it against me, but those numbers and facts are my shield and now it is up to you to arrive to some conclusion that supports the efficacy of facemasks in the light of these figures.
Why is it so difficult to accept that distancing is the main protective factor and that facemasks are at best tenuous ineffective filters that stop only the larger droplets of saliva (and in that they do work), but do nothing to stop exhaled viruses in aerosols and do nothing to stop you from breathing in tose aerosols.

I believe your first paragraph is incorrect. Facemask use increased and social distancing decreased. And we are seeing a surge in new infections.

@Rodatheist

Once again you are stating either or when in fact its a combination. Efficacy is in the following all the recommendations. Yes masks are not and end all be all, but in conjunction with social distancing, hand washing and making good choices in limiting travel and crowds, they all decrease your probabilities of contraction.

As I elaborated previously on this site, statistics do not lie. But individuals who do not understand the statistics they are reading do. Or if you do not know the appropriate statistical tool to use, do not understand the limits inherent in that tool, or do not understand how to interpret the results correctly, are destined to incessantly commit the same mistake over and over.

@Rodatheist

Thats what my paragraph says. Mask increase, distancing decrease.

@Thirst2learn

You are not up on your mask research or on your virus research. In the beginning it was believed that contact spread was a bigger problem than it really turned out to be. It turns out that the virus doesn't remain viable on most surfaces for very long. Metal, hard plastic, and treated wood allows surface transmission on occasion. Cloth and paper has a much lower probability of transmission. Plus the bulk of the mask research contradicts your statements. The virus is primarily spread through aerosol and mouth and nasal discharge. Exhaling.

What you are doing is something that many people have been doing of late. You are taking an exceptional case and projecting it as the rule.

The mask wearing is meant to protect others you come in contact with. It is to protect others should you have the virus, be asymptomatic and not realize it. Its to protect them, and likewise they wear it to protect you. Its a common courtesy thing to do to respect your neighbor.

Unfortunately, like the original poster, you decided what you would like to have the answer to be. Then went out and found an argument that you thought supported your case, but ignored the bulk of the credible evidence that disproved your point.

I do take exception with your moniker. Since you have been on this sight, like your conservative cohorts you've hidden in a group that locks out anybody with a different point off view. In truth you do not desire to learn. Rather you thirst to have your opinions validated. It has nothing to do with wanting to learn.

@Thirst2learn By the by, its hands washing for a minimum of 20 seconds, not 30 seconds

@Thirst2learn

Nobody will delete you. They will challenge your poorly constructed arguments and your misinformation..

What are you really afraid of, not being validated. Yes contact transmission does occur, but significantly less that originally presumed. That was debunked in May.you ignored all the other part of the argument that contradicted your false conclusions. You proved my conclusion regarding your true desires to learn. You don't. You grab conclusions that fit your biases and then cherry pick exceptions to support them.

@Thirst2learn

I do follow the research. I am a scientist and science educator. You are still grasping at exceptions and making them.appearcas the rule. Sure dirty masks occur and people do not wash or wear then correctly. But the use, even incorrectly reduces the probabilities in the larger picture. We are a lot safer with more people wearing them than nobody wearing them. Even incorrectly.

Thats the reason I'm not a fan of Libertarians. They tend to be selfish for all the wrong reasons. Has nothing to do with making a better society. Its usually about soothing their fragile egos because they are being asked to be accountable for their actions and they do not like that.

Well, I do not have to prove anything wrong, do I?
Social distancing is what it is, facemasks are what they are, and the numbers are what they are.

@Rodatheist Well, I believe you are spreading dangerous misinformation. Please show me these numbers that prove you're right.

@JeffMurray [npr.org]

@Rodatheist Really? Your bio talks about those that, "base their beliefs and opinions on reason, sound knowledge" yet you draw that ridiculous conclusion from those statistics? There is no control, and no specific data that proves what you're asserting. Even if mask wearing is up overall, when masks aren't worn (like during the reduction of social distancing- notice the article specifically mentions activities that require the removal of masks like bars, restaurants, places of worship which weren't requiring masks, work where people have lunch breaks in lunch rooms together without masks, gyms where people are breathing super heavy which naturally reduces efficacy of masks, if they were even required, plus rampant sharing of equipment) is the important part that can account for those numbers that doesn't mean masks don't work. It's kind of like wearing a condom 23 hours a day but taking it off to have sex and then saying condoms do nothing to prevent STIs.
If you're going to talk about reason and sound knowledge, you should be better at recognizing and applying it.

@JeffMurray Fron the NPR article: “ But the survey did find one bit of good news about people's behavior: Mask-wearing rose for both Democrats and Republicans during the same period and has held steady since then. About 77 percent report very closely adhering to recommendations to wear masks in November, the survey shows.

However, the increase in mask-wearing apparently was not enough to off-set the effects of decreased social distancing and other behaviors, the survey found. Adherence to four behaviors recommended by the CDC — avoiding contact with others, avoiding public/crowded places, frequently washing hands and disinfecting surfaces — all reached all-time lows in October.”

There are confounds for sure, but if you don’t want to see it, don’t see it. I am placing this information in front of you, but you can always close your eyes.

@Rodatheist I read that, dude, but that doesn't mean the increased mask wearing can outperform the increased transmission rates from when people aren't wearing masks (and performing other counter-productive behaviors), which in no way means masks don't work. Are you seriously not able to understand that? It's a very simple concept.

This is the guy that talks about reason and sound knowledge in his bio... ‍

I arrive to that conclusion because for all that has been studied and observed about the masks, they are known to be marginal protections. The truth is that good effective distancing would do the trick, and masks should be worn by those with symptoms, who should stay at home in quarantine anyway. The rest of us are playing the game of I protect you, you protect me, wink wink.

@Rodatheist You have absolutely nothing to support that conclusion. First of all, social distancing is no where near as good as masks. They've known since March that this is airborne. They found it in the ventilation systems in hospitals and they know that it can linger in the air FOR HOURS. People being 6' apart in a room an hour ago doesn't help you if you walk in after they're gone. Secondly, people that are forced to be near each other in risky situations (nurses like me who work in interventional pulmonology with Covid positive patients) rarely get Covid with proper mask wearing. Literally only one nurse on my unit got it, and she got it in a party destination while on vacation. That is anecdotal, obviously, but you don't even have anecdotal evidence to support your claim. Third, the director of the CDC clearly stated under oath that he believes the single best defense against Covid is masks, not a vaccine, not social distancing, masks.