Astonishingly, The NY Times printed a report admitting that the mask mandates were useless. HOWEVER, it’s only one person’s opinion offered up by the Grey Lady.

As we reported here, a study finally came out that told us all what we already knew. The mask mandates didn’t work and should never have been put in place. 

The most rigorous and comprehensive analysis of scientific studies conducted on the efficacy of masks for reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19 — was published late last month. Its conclusions, said Tom Jefferson, the Oxford epidemiologist who is its lead author, were unambiguous.

“There is just no evidence that they” — masks — “make any difference,” he told the journalist Maryanne Demasi. “Full stop.”

But, wait, hold on. What about N-95 masks, as opposed to lower-quality surgical or cloth masks?

“Makes no difference — none of it,” said Jefferson.

What about the studies that initially persuaded policymakers to impose mask mandates?

“They were convinced by nonrandomized studies, flawed observational studies.”

In fact, many of those so-called studies were only for studying COMPLIANCE, not the efficacy of the masks themselves! When many of us here at Victory Girls and across the blogs/news/social media tried to point out the issues regarding the efficacy of masks or the problems with trying to keep babies and toddlers masked, the knives came out. People were told they were “grandma killers” and that we were selfishly thinking of ourselves instead of protecting everyone else from themselves. 

But NOW, three years into this mess, it’s finally ok to publish the news that masks just didn’t work. What’s interesting about this opinion piece from The NY Times is that it’s the ONLY item that the paper has printed since the Cochrane study was published. In other words, the publishers don’t want to admit that they too were wrong. I bet it took some serious persuading for permission to be granted to have this opinion piece printed. F

Furthermore, the interview linked in the piece is well worth reading given that Tom Jefferson, a data expert, has known masks don’t work since January 2020. 

JEFFERSON: Governments had bad advisors from the very beginning… They were convinced by non-randomised studies, flawed observational studies. A lot of it had to do with appearing as if they were “doing something.”

In early 2020, when the pandemic was ramping up, we had just updated our Cochrane review ready to publish…but Cochrane held it up for 7 months before it was finally published in November 2020.

Those 7 months were crucial. During that time, it was when policy about masks was being formed. Our review was important, and it should have been out there.

Now that study, which was totally buried until now has been updated to include data from 78 studies. But the powers that be within Cochrane held up the initial publication for seven months. You can darned well bet that there was a political push behind that. As Jefferson also points out, the ‘Swiss cheese’ argument was sheer fallacy and all the government “experts” engaged in fear-mongering to gain compliance. 

The health and government experts did extraordinary damage with the Covid fear porn. Damage that we are just beginning to see. Stephen’s headline is factually wrong as well. 

The Mask Mandates Did Nothing. Will Any Lessons Be Learned?

Oh, the mask mandates did a LOT of things, none of which was positive, ALL of which was negative. 

While it’s nice to see the NY Times finally admit masks are worthless, it’s false to say the mandates “did nothing.” They harmed kids, eroded public trust, and psychologically damaged millions of people to the point where they’re still afraid to breathe in public. pic.twitter.com/k57e2cG1Km

— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) February 22, 2023

We have three years of babies/toddlers/young children who were told to exist and learn without being able to see people’s faces. We have children and adults with developmental and physical issues (deafness and autism for example) who regressed because of the masks and lockdowns. The elderly had an incredibly difficult time communicating through the face diapers, and don’t get me started on those with asthma or other respiratory issues. 

The best line in the piece: "'Do something' is not science, and it shouldn't have been public policy."

— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) February 22, 2023

Masks were SO effective that New York City quietly tried to sell their overstock of face shields, ventilators, and other Covid/PPE equipment. Except…

An investigation by THE CITY has determined that since last summer, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has systematically tried to auction off millions of dollars worth of COVID-related personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies — gowns, face shields, hand sanitizer, KN95 masks, N95 masks — that the department decided are no longer needed. Many of these supplies remain in their original packaging and are brand-new.

~Snip

A company called Fastenal sold the city 50,000 face shields at $6.70 per shield when the average price at the start of the pandemic was $3.67, the comptroller found. That means taxpayers paid $335,000 for items that on average should have cost $183,500.

The city ended up selling the masks and face shields for less than a penny a piece. If masks and face shields were so damned effective, the city shouldn’t have had any left. 

As is noted in the NYT opinion piece, the CDC doesn’t like the results of the Cochrane study and is digging in their heels. Which, rightly so, leads to MORE mistrust. 

The experts didn’t and don’t like being told they were wrong. They are SCIENCE! don’t you know. Will they learn any lessons? Nope, they won’t, especially if social media keeps slapping context warnings on posts. The only way they’ll learn is if they are fired and never allowed anywhere near a pandemic response ever again.

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