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This paper[^], on the CDC's website, states Quote: In our systematic review, we identified 10 RCTs [randomized controlled trials] that reported estimates of the effectiveness of face masks in reducing laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infections in the community from literature published during 1946–July 27, 2018. In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks.
Further:Quote: Disposable medical masks (also known as surgical masks) are loose-fitting devices that were designed to be worn by medical personnel to protect accidental contamination of patient wounds, and to protect the wearer against splashes or sprays of bodily fluids (36). There is limited evidence for their effectiveness in preventing influenza virus transmission either when worn by the infected person for source control or when worn by uninfected persons to reduce exposure. Our systematic review found no significant effect of face masks on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza.
The rationale for mandating masks is left as an exercise for the reader.
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You left out an important sentence.
Most studies were underpowered because of limited sample size, and some studies also reported suboptimal adherence in the face mask group.
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Comparison: apples and peanuts.
Influenza is primarily spread via mucus membranes - you touch a contaminated surface and then rub your eyes.
Corona Virus is spread as an aerosol - via breathing in / coughing out.
So - the rational seems to still be in place.
Comparisons to the flu, however, are not.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Don't touch your face? Wash your hands?
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Your "wash your hands" would require living in front of a sink or carrying a backpack full of hand sanitizing materials.
"Don't touch your face" ????? It's a mainly unconscious behavior that happens continuously. Look it up and see how often, even when trying not to, it is done.
Option 2: straight jacket.
. . . and all of the above are peripheral to the point that COVID is not the FLU . . .
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Greg Utas wrote: The rationale for mandating masks is left as an exercise for the reader.
Fear. If you can scare a population you can control them into harming themselves.
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I've painted a steel bench with an N95 mask on and off, outside, and up wind, and I can tell you there is a difference.
A "face mask" could be be a Halloween mask for all I know that you're on about.
If you put on a face mask and have trouble breathing or it "sucks to your face", it's working.
Simple things.
I've had these discussions with my dental hygienist and dentist; yours is quoted FUD (Made in Hong Kong i.e. CHINA ... where they also had to mandate "handkerchief" laws)
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
modified 5-Oct-20 10:53am.
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Would you send your kids out trick-or-treating this year?
If you do, how have you told you kids to behave if they hear coughing and heavy breathing through the door before it is being opened?
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Since my kids have kids in college (or graduated from same), they are on their own.
If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
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What if your neighbour, with small kids, come and ask you: Both mom and dad have been called to meetings that they cannot reject, so do you have any chance of following the kids around as a guardian?
Or, if your grandchildren were old enough to have children, would you think a great idea to send your great-grandchildren out trick-or-treating?
OK, so for you, it is a hypothetical situation (so it is for me!), but I think we should be able to relate to the question.
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Just as I don't plan to answer any knocks on the door, I would not accompany any kids around. Bad idea. (I am old enough to be at risk). Besides, I am the mean old curmudgeon on the block. 
The reality is, this neighborhood has very few small children and each year we eat our own candy.
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
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I think it's... SMOOOOOKIN'!
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What's worse, that, or using varchar to store numeric values?
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Using VARCHAR to store dates... 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Funny enough, this happened to me a couple of weeks ago...must have been a typo in a create table statement from long ago as there is no trace of it now. I was about to pull my hair out when a query with a filter on that 'date' kept giving me 'incorrect' results.??? Sorting wasn't working right either. Luckily, I found it before the client did.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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I found that just two weeks ago!
Imagine my surprise when I entered some text and it crashed on a cast during runtime
What's worse, it was supposed to be a foreign key constraint, but instead the developer used that varchar field to store a smallint in another table and then did an if then else on the smallint to show an actual text
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Why's everyone in this cartoon naked?
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It's the naked truth!
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I hadn't even noticed 
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I'm now working with Julian. (dates stored as int) Obviously it's easy enough to dateadd it, but still a pita. Why someone would choose Julian is beyond me...possibly better query performance?
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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As in the Julian calendar?
Only Julian I know, but never worked with it because who the hell uses that?
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