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This by @engagedpractx is excellent. I'm in a high risk group and so have to be very cautious about what I do, and I always feel like I can make informed decisions after reading what he says about covid and protocols around transmission. https://insidestory.org.au/weapons-of-mask-distraction/
Key points: Daniel looks at evidence for masks in various circumstances, including some disingenuous claims by advocates for them. He says the focus on masks can distract us from the known drivers of the outbreak and high-impact strategies that have already been proven to work.
As lockdowns eased he 'called attention to the danger of an epidemic rebound beginning among precarious workers'. He did, and this has now happened. This was my worry as well. For some workers (without income security) this is a choice between rent/food and self isolating.
Ultimately he says: 'If wearing a mask would make you feel safer, do it!', but says making them mandatory is not supported by evidence. That 'When infection is rampant, even a small protective benefit can add up into a helpful difference in total infections.'
So if he 'were in London, catching a crowded Tube service, [he] would wear a mask. But despite alarming numbers in Victoria, and ongoing “ember attack” in New South Wales, the prevalence in both states remains low, and thus masks are unlikely to make much difference.'
Despite the evidence that they’re only useful in certain settings, the mask-wearing controversy is drawing attention away from real pathways of infection
