Of all the failed pandemic policies, perhaps the mask mandates have been the biggest losers.
They have especially proved useless during the recent surge of the Omicron variant.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday clarified its stance on various kinds of masks, acknowledging that the cloth masks frequently worn by Americans do not offer as much protection as surgical masks or respirators.While this disparity is widely known to the general public, the update marks the first time the C.D.C. has explicitly addressed the differences. The agency’s website also no longer refers to a shortage of respirators.
Despite the numerous reasons that the use of masks by the general public is destined to fail, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is bitterly clinging to their use. Agency officials are recommending new and better ones.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance to encourage Americans to use the best-fitting mask possible to limit the spread of COVID-19.While the guidelines stopped short of recommending N95 or KN95 respirators, it dropped its language indicating concern about possible shortages of the face coverings. In the early days of the pandemic, public health officials feared a shortage in such masks typically used by healthcare workers.In its latest update Friday, the CDC “clarified that people can choose respirators such as N95s and KN95s, including removing concerns related to supply shortages for N95s.”
In August, YouTube suspended Senator Rand Paul over a three-minute video questioning the effectiveness of cloth masks. He is now wondering if the Big Tech censors will offer him a much deserved apology.
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul hit back at YouTube “censors” on Saturday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged that cloth masks do not work as well against the coronavirus as N95 makes.The Kentucky Republican wondered if YouTube would be apologizing for suspending him earlier this year for saying the same thing.”Does this mean snot-nosed censors at YouTube will come to my office and kiss my … and admit I was right?” Paul wrote.
I think the chances of him getting an apology from progressive zealots are between slim and none. But it never hurts to ask!
The is some good news to be had, related to the Omicron surge. It appears to be peaking in the US as COVID cases flatten in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Los Angeles.
Statistics from Johns Hopkins University shows that New York, New Jersey and Maryland have all seen seven day-average cases drop in recent days. Deaths have spiked by 20 per cent in a fortnight to around 1,820 a day, but still sit far below the peaks of winter 2020, even though more COVID infections are being recorded.In the Empire State, seven day average cases sat at 69,300 on January 12 – down from an all-time high of 74,400 on January 8.In neighboring New Jersey, seven day average cases peaked at 31,090 on January 8. But Garden State cases have since dropped too, and sit at 25,060 as of January 12.Meanwhile, Maryland saw its seven day average cases peak at 13,300 on January 6, but they have since dropped down to 11,900 as of January 12.Over on the West Coast, Los Angeles has also seen a sharp drop in COVID-19 diagnoses after a recent record peak. LA County hit an all-time high of 52,200 cases on January 4. But on January 10, the most recent date for which figures are available, cases had slumped to just 9,300.The shape of each area’s peak mirrors infection curves seen in South Africa – where Omicron was first detected – as well as the United Kingdom, which was hit by rocketing new cases weeks before the US before seeing a near 40 percent drop in cases this week.
I suspect that when this particular variant wave ends, the Biden administration will declare victory thanks to the new recommendations. Should there be another wave, then the Kabuki theater of pandemic response will continue…complete with masks that have failed to stop the spread every time they are tried.
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