I read a recent article by Dr. Maryanne Demasi, “Did Cochrane’s study on masks get it wrong?” which analyzes two views about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of face masks in protecting from viruses and their infection (link).
There is no doubt that both views are presented by parties with high credentials emphasizing their expertise and experience in a write-up. Below are the two views in a nutshell:
- Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (Cochrane Review, link)
is ” … 2023 Cochrane review which concluded that wearing a face mask “probably makes little or no difference” in preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.”
- What Went Wrong with a Highly Publicized COVID Mask Analysis? (link)
Criticizes the above by stating, “The Cochrane Library, a trusted source of health information, misled the public by prioritizing rigor over reality” by Naomi Oreskes (Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University)
Reading the articles and having a background in science, especially in research, while working at Health Canada as a research scientist for 30 years, I am quite concerned about the poor quality of scientific research and reasoning provided in the publication (Cochrane Review) and follow-up discussions. Continue here