Even Fauci is on record early on telling the press that there is no reason the public should be masking up. There were plenty of others and still are that point to the science.
During this pandemic time there have been some studies that support your position, no politics involved I'm sure.
Studies of the Spanish Flu and the effectiveness of masks didn't show what you claim.
Regardless, wear the mask if it makes you feel safe.
I am personally kinda meh on the mask, despite being outspoken here against misinformation. I believe the studies that show dual layer cloth masks will tend to stop 40%-60% of the moister droplets that carry respiratory viruses, and that
compliant widespread masking during this pandemic reduces the R
e of COVID 19 by 1 to 3 (ish). Those are not outlandish statements that can be easily backed up with a wide variety of studies and real world observations.
That is, however, not what prompted my post.
You said:
For the better part of a century the observation of scientists and health care professionals was that masks did little to nothing to stop the spread of airborn disease.
That is just untrue. Scientists and medical professionals have known for that long that masks DO help stop the spread of airborne disease. That's why surgical masks are a thing in surgery's. And masks are standard PPE when visiting immunocompromised patients in isolation. And masks are given to current TB patients to wear in the community while undergoing treatment. And surgical masks are part of the available PPE for Mucous Membrane and Respiratory Protection in BSL lab protocols, and why medical professionals that refuse the flu vaccine have to wear masks for patient care.
Because it's well known, and has been for more than 100 years, that masks, while not 100%, absolutely help slow the spread of airborne disease.
Your statement is untrue, regardless of my feelings of safety during the COVID pandemic.
