In a CNN Interview, Fauci Flip-Flops on What He Used to Say About the Effectiveness of Masks

SMERCONISH Totally understood There ░░░░░░░░ a perception out there ░░░░░░░░ many how many I ░░░░░░░░ t know that they ░░░░░░░░ t work and that ░░░░░░░░ data concludes that they ░░░░░░░░ t work in the ░░░░░░░░ go round Respond to ░░░░░░░░ on masks Fauci Yeah ░░░░░░░░ that s not so ░░░░░░░░ mean when you re ░░░░░░░░ about at the population ░░░░░░░░ that the data are ░░░░░░░░ strong than knowing that ░░░░░░░░ you look on a ░░░░░░░░ as an individual protecting ░░░░░░░░ or protecting them from ░░░░░░░░ it there is no ░░░░░░░░ that masks work Different ░░░░░░░░ give different percentages of ░░░░░░░░ of wearing it But ░░░░░░░░ s no doubt that ░░░░░░░░ weight of the studies ░░░░░░░░ there have been many ░░░░░░░░ indicate the benefit of ░░░░░░░░ masks SMERCONISH I m ░░░░░░░░ to refer to one ░░░░░░░░ them You ve heard ░░░░░░░░ it before I heard ░░░░░░░░ it from a number ░░░░░░░░ radio callers Bret Stephens ░░░░░░░░ the Times talked about ░░░░░░░░ Put that on the ░░░░░░░░ The most rigorous and ░░░░░░░░ analysis of scientific studies ░░░░░░░░ on the efficacy of ░░░░░░░░ for reducing the spread ░░░░░░░░ respiratory illness including Covid ░░░░░░░░ was published last month ░░░░░░░░ conclusions said Tom Jefferson ░░░░░░░░ Oxford epidemiologist who is ░░░░░░░░ lead author were unambiguous ░░░░░░░░ is just no evidence ░░░░░░░░ they masks make any ░░░░░░░░ he told the journalist ░░░░░░░░ Demasi Full stop But ░░░░░░░░ hold on what about ░░░░░░░░ N 95 masks as ░░░░░░░░ to the lower quality ░░░░░░░░ or cloth masks Makes ░░░░░░░░ difference None of it ░░░░░░░░ said Well what about ░░░░░░░░ studies that initially persuaded ░░░░░░░░ to impose mask mandates ░░░░░░░░ were convinced by nonrandomized ░░░░░░░░ flawed observational studies How ░░░░░░░░ we get beyond that ░░░░░░░░ of that particular review ░░░░░░░░ Yeah but there are ░░░░░░░░ studies Michael that show ░░░░░░░░ an individual level for ░░░░░░░░ when you re talking ░░░░░░░░ the effect on the ░░░░░░░░ or the pandemic as ░░░░░░░░ whole the data are ░░░░░░░░ strong But when you ░░░░░░░░ about as an individual ░░░░░░░░ of someone protecting themselves ░░░░░░░░ protecting themselves from spreading ░░░░░░░░ to others there s ░░░░░░░░ doubt that there are ░░░░░░░░ studies that show that ░░░░░░░░ is an advantage When ░░░░░░░░ took it the broad ░░░░░░░░ level like the Cochrane ░░░░░░░░ the data are less ░░░░░░░░ with regard to the ░░░░░░░░ on the overall pandemic ░░░░░░░░ we re not talking ░░░░░░░░ that we re talking ░░░░░░░░ an individual s effect ░░░░░░░░ their own safety That ░░░░░░░░ a bit different than ░░░░░░░░ broad population level Right ░░░░░░░░ people should not be ░░░░░░░░ There is no reason ░░░░░░░░ be walking around with ░░░░░░░░ mask When you re ░░░░░░░░ the middle of an ░░░░░░░░ wearing a mask might ░░░░░░░░ people feel a little ░░░░░░░░ better and it might ░░░░░░░░ block a droplet but ░░░░░░░░ s not providing the ░░░░░░░░ protection that people think ░░░░░░░░ it is And often ░░░░░░░░ are unintended consequences people ░░░░░░░░ fiddling with the mask ░░░░░░░░ they keep touching their ░░░░░░░░ LAPOOK Then can you ░░░░░░░░ some schmutz sort of ░░░░░░░░ inside there Fauci Of ░░░░░░░░ of course But when ░░░░░░░░ think mask you should ░░░░░░░░ of health care providers ░░░░░░░░ them and people who ░░░░░░░░ ill.”