Andy Volinsky is Such an Annoying #Maskhole

So #VolinskyAgenda went on a twitter-tirade today because Governor Chris “Cave” Sununu … in a rare moment of backbone … didn’t cave to Tyrion’s demand that he order everyone to “mask up”:

Let’s focus on the second to last tweet:

So “every scientist in the country” believes that if 80 percent of the population wore masks infections would plummet?

Actually, it’s not “every scientist in the country” … it’s a … WAIT FOR IT … WAIT FOR IT … DRUMROLL PLEASE … a computer model:

A new computer model suggests if 80% of Americans wore a facial covering, infections would plummet.

According to a new research paper from UC Berkeley’s International Computer Science Institute and at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, COVID-19 infection rates would statistically drop to approximately one twelfth the number of infections.

That’s compared to a live-virus population in which no one wore masks, Vanity Fair reports.

Sure. After the resounding success that the Imperial College and IHME models have had … why not set public policy based on another untested computer model.

There is no actual scientific evidence that masks work. This from an article in the CDC journal:

In our systematic review, we identified 10 RCTs 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 (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.51–1.20; I² = 30%, p = 0.25) (Figure 2). …

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.

Hey Tyrion … stop being such a #Maskhole.