Another mask study. Can you take it? Some couldn't and held up the publication of this study because it has the potential to block some power grabs by low level government officials, like heads of agencies and mayors.
A randomized, controlled trial done in Denmark and published in one of the top medical journals looked at the effectiveness of adding mask recommendations to other control measures. The randomized trial showed there was no difference in reducing the infection rate of SARS-CoV-2. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817 Infection occurred in 1.8% of the participants who wore masks, and 2.1% of the participants in the control group who didn't wear masks. Surgical medically approved masks were used for the study, which almost none of us in the general public use in the U.S.A. Also, the participants had training in how to use the masks, which we don't have. Even so, it appears that less than 50% of the mask wearers used them correctly all the time.
At the time of the study a few months ago, Denmark had a much less restrictive procedure and a lower infection rate than the U.S. with masks worn outside a hospital setting being rare. Both the mask wearers and the control group in the study also used the other methods--frequent hand washing, social distancing, quarantines, and limiting visits to nursing homes. Yet their infection rate was the same.
This study is a real blow to those who believe masks will stop most of the spread, although I wouldn't expect it to change anything.
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