Or are we crazy because of particulate matter?
You do know there is ALSO no evidence to support that
Yesterday, I tweeted about a cyclist who was wearing a mask outdoors in SF while riding his bicycle on JAN 17, 2024. In response, some have suggested that this was actually in response to particulates.
I am happy to concede that air pollution is bad. I will even say, when air pollution is horrific, probably best not to spend too much time exercising outside, but that wasn’t the case on Jan 17. Things looked fine. Even the graph seems fine. And, these commenters miss the glaring question— this isn’t about whether air pollution is bad….
Where is there ANY EVIDENCE that wearing TWO MASKS outside when you ride your bike improves ANY HEALTH OUTCOME??
Could inhaling mask fibers or other negative effects of the mask offset any gains?
Forget if air pollution is bad, is masking beneficial?
Also if it is so horribly bad, why are you even biking? Why not drive or take a bus? Or stay home?
If you are worried about heart disease you might stop eating eggs (cholesterol!), but where is there any evidence that makes you better off?
If you are worried about car accident injury, you can wear a helmet when driving (race car drivers do it), but where is there evidence that doing it daily makes you better off?
I am worried about touching chemicals (cancer!), but if I walk around wearing latex gloves, I would look crazy.
Before you do something that appears utterly insane— like wearing a surgical mask and then an n95 over it when you bike on a clear sunny day— as I saw on Jan 17—you have to have evidence that it makes you better off. (not that the pollution is very slightly bad in giant observational data)
Perhaps, we can admit the truth. Worrying about PM2.5 air pollution in SF is a luxury that only the rich can afford. Wearing a mask is a faddish talisman that supposedly protects against all things. Perhaps we can admit that there is such thing as thinking too much about your health— to the point you lose touch with reality.
There is literally no good reason on planet earth to wear a surgical mask and an n95 on top in San Francisco on Jan 17, 2024 when you bike outside, and I beg anyone who disagrees to persuade me in the comments.
There is no sense in being crazy if you don't show it.
For the hundredth time this is because the doctors who led the country were not practicing physicians. I managed our practice, but I also saw 30 patients a day in rural town . I took care of everyone, neighbors, and relatives. They sent me a patient once with abdominal pain. I asked him why they were seeing me and they said because someone told them that, even though I was a heart doctor, I would get them to the right person. That's because they had trust
The reason they trust is because I never lied and when I didn't know, I said I don't know.
A shocker is people accept that, and they don't think poorly of you. On the contrary, they want to think that you are a decent person, and when you admit your limitations, it gives them trust.
I don't know if Dr. Fauci, etc. were pressured or not, but they basically should have said
1. This is a horrible disease.
2. If you're not in good health, it can take your life.
3. We don't have a solution, but we think the vaccine could help, staying away from others, and maybe be wearing a mask
4. As we learn more, will tell you more.
How much less division in the country with there be had they simply said the above
They said take the vaccine or you can't come to work. Take the vaccine or you're a horrible person ; take the vaccine so you will never get infected and you won't spread it . Every doctor in the planet knew that was not true. No vaccine is 100% effective . Wear the mask because it's like a cone of silence around your head. It's all crazy and it was all untrue.
And then people who questioned them were demonized
They need to simply apologize and start over because it not only hurt people regarding Covid. It's making it very difficult for doctors every day now to talk about anything . I can't tell you all the people who are telling me statins don't work and that it's fine to walk around with a cholesterol of 300. And when you argue about it, they say yeah just like with the vaccine.