copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2023-06-06): Little information is available on a global scale. However, an analysis of the socio-economic determinants of Covid-19 mortality across countries demonstrated that a longer duration of mask wearing by the public was negatively associated with mortality52. In this study, the effect of mask wearing is proxied by the delay between the first infected case and a government recommendation on mask wearing by the public. This study finds that ’in countries with public policies and cultural norms supporting public mask-wearing, per-capita coronavirus mortality increased on average by just 15.8% each week, as compared with 62.1% each week in other countries’. [...] We also found a statistical negative impact of mask wearing on fatality rates with a longer lag. Here, we consider 14- and 28-day lagged variables for illustration (Table 3). We also document that the mask effects on deaths for 7 days after are not reported since this effect is not significant. This insignificance is a proof of credibility of our results since the mask has no effect on fatalities at a very short run horizon (Placebo test). The mask use effect on fatalities for a very large horizon (42 days) is also not significant.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2023-11-04): The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing masks if you choose to, and in specific places and situations. [...] Wearing a medical mask doesn't increase the level of carbon dioxide in the air you breathe. [...] Wearing a mask doesn't increase the level of carbon dioxide in the air you breathe.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-07-24): People have shared a graphic titled "danger of a face mask" and say this "may lead to death". [...] This modified version claims that wearing a mask leads to "re-breathing your exhaled CO2". [...] "Masks may stop germs getting into your mouth or nose so your immune system doesn't have to kick in, but this doesn't mean it is being suppressed," says Prof Neal.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-07-21): And even analysing changes to cases and hospital admissions, it is difficult to pick out the effect of mask-wearing in particular. [...] A study in Kansas found local areas in the state went from having the highest numbers of cases to seeing fewer hospital admissions and almost half as many deaths after introducing mask rules, compared with those that did not, even when no other rules had been introduced at the same time. [...] One review of six studies estimated mask-wearing reduced the risk of catching Covid by 60%, and 70% among healthcare staff.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-10-06): Face masks: what the data say The science supports that face coverings are saving lives during the coronavirus pandemic, and yet the debate trundles on. How much evidence is enough?
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-06-26): But the strongest evidence in favor of masks come from studies of real-world scenarios. "The most important thing are the epidemiologic data," said Rutherford. Because it would be unethical to assign people to not wear a mask during a pandemic, the epidemiological evidence has come from so-called "experiments of nature." [...] Another study looked at coronavirus deaths across 198 countries and found that those with cultural norms or government policies favoring mask-wearing had lower death rates. [...] The latest forecast from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation suggests that 33,000 deaths could be avoided by October 1 if 95 percent of people wore masks in public.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2023-05-19): Nor is it the first time the authors of the review have claimed face masks could have harmful effects. Several of the authors speculated in a review published in March that masks might have caused stillbirths and other health issues. But this was an extrapolation based on studies exposing animals to carbon dioxide — and ignored the fact that masks don’t increase levels of the gas in humans in any clinically meaningful way. The Daily Mail nevertheless covered the paper in a story with an alarming headline, screenshots of which have been widely shared on social media. [...] There are a couple of theoretical ways a mask could impact the respiratory system, Hopkins said. Masks slightly increase something called dead space, equal to the volume of air that doesn’t make it out of a person’s airway when they breathe out. When a person breathes in again, the first air they take is a little more than a cup of old air from this dead space. Masks very slightly increase the amount of this old air people take in. To overcome this, a person just has to take a very slightly bigger breath. [...] Kisielinski, Kai et al. "Physio-Metabolic and Clinical Consequences of Wearing Face Masks—Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Comprehensive Evaluation." Frontiers in Public Health. 5 Apr 2023.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2023-02-10): "Older persons, people of any age who have a serious underlying illness, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, if you're immune compromised," Schaffner said, "keep wearing that mask." Consider masks in crowded, poorly ventilated places [...] On the other hand, Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, has leaned into the value of vaccines over masks.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2022-01-15): No single study is perfect or definitive; in fact, such studies would be impossible to perform. But there is a lot going for mask-wearing, and little or no evidence that wearing a mask causes harm. [...] - Do masks reduce the severity of infection? Because masks can reduce the "dose" of virus exposure, and because a lower amount of exposure might cause less severe infection, some have suggested that universal mask wearing might induce immunity with less lethal infections. This remains controversial and unproven, however, and should not be assumed to be true. [...] The best available evidence shows that mask-wearing can help reduce spread of COVID-19 infections, keep waves of serious illness from overburdening our hospitals, and save lives — possibly even yours.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2024-06-30): When the COVID-19 pandemic took off in 2020, so too did questions over the effectiveness of wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of the virus. Now, four years later, what does the science say? [...] "Masks, even cloth masks, do something," she said. [...] Early in the pandemic, some guidance from health professionals suggested that wearing a mask might actually lead to infection: A person might encounter a contaminated mask and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth. But research in the ensuing years has shown that fear to be misplaced.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-08-24): In other words, the research followed CDC's changing masking recommendations. But this was still an inaccurate summary of how the situation unfolded. Much of the masking research conducted throughout 2020 and into this year consisted of literature reviews and meta-analyses of studies performed during past flu seasons—that is, before April 2020—all of which concluded that the evidence was mixed and masks had limited impact on viral transmission. The problems were manifold. Epidemiological studies had no way to decouple the effects of masking from other interventions, for example. One of the clinical trials CDC cited in support of masks probably enrolled 130 people who were vaccinated against influenza and classified them as flu cases. Two other studies had no control group; another found "a 13 times higher risk of infection in the cloth mask arm" compared to medical masks. Some of the results didn't even reach statistical significance. [...] Moreover, randomized clinical trials have shown inconsistent or inconclusive results, with some studies reporting only a marginal benefit or no effect of mask use. Thus, surgical and similar masks are often considered to be ineffective. On the other hand, observational data show that regions or facilities with a higher percentage of the population wearing masks have better control of COVID-19.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-10-01): As of July 26, 2020, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 16 000 000 individuals worldwide and caused over 600 000 deaths from COVID-19. Despite advances in pharmacological treatment and early vaccine development, reducing transmission of the virus with the use of facemasks (referring to medical or surgical masks, N-95 and similar respirators, cloth masks, and bandannas) by health-care workers and the public alike remains a hotly debated topic due to politicisation of discourse and decision making. [...] In summary, the current best evidence includes the possibility of important relative and absolute benefits of wearing a facemask. Depending on the pandemic situation in a given geographical setting, the desirable consequences of wearing a facemask may or may not outweigh the undesirable consequences. These considerations should influence policy makers' recommendations starting with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders. In highly populated areas that have high infection rates—eg, USA, India, Brazil, or South Africa—the use of masks will probably outweigh any potential downsides. If larger relative effects of masks are confirmed by forthcoming trials, and the entire population wants to make a contribution to reduce transmission, then a few months of universal facemask wearing would achieve a lot, but it will come at a cost. That cost might be lower than not reopening businesses and schools once baseline risk achieves acceptable levels. As no intervention is associated with affording complete protection from infection, a combination of measures will always be required, now and during the next pandemic.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-05-25): Face masks: what the data say
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-08-06): To relate the impact of these interventions to their societal impact, we determined the number of deaths per million after each mitigation strategy, assuming a mortality rate of ~ 3%39. This analysis illustrates the heavy cost of lives of the virus, but also demonstrates that according to our model a high level of mask wearing compliance is the most effective non-pharmacological approach to protect human lives, particularly when combined with even moderate SD measures (Fig. 4D). In contrast, SD, without masks wearing is not effective to reduce mortality (Fig. 4E). Finally, our simulations predict that increasing the proportion of the population wearing masks will increase the time to outbreak extinction (from ~ 40 to ~ 60 days) (Fig. 4F). Together with the broadening of the peak (Fig. 4C), this shows an effective flattening of the curve. Importantly, with 80% mask wearing, we observed an increase in the statistical distribution from the average time to extinction (Fig. 4F, see 95% confidence intervals). Thus, a generally low disease incidence triggers stochastic events leading to extinction of the infection.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2024-10-07): A study of the impact of national face mask laws on COVID-19 mortality in 44 countries with a combined population of nearly one billion people found that, over time, the increase in COVID-19 related deaths was significantly slower in countries that imposed mask laws compared to countries that did not. The study, appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, shows that masks provide a supplementary layer of protection that could prevent unnecessary COVID-19 deaths. "While several studies before this have looked at the impact of masks on COVID-19 cases, fewer studies were focused on whether mask wearing may reduce COVID-19 deaths, and no study had looked at the data across multiple countries," said lead investigator Sahar Motallebi, MD, MPH, from Malmo, Sweden. "The large sample of culturally diverse countries in this retrospective study covers a large population, giving us more evidence towards the life-saving potential of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic." [...] Twenty-seven countries with face mask policies and 17 countries without face mask policies, covering a combined population of nearly one billion people, were included in the study. Investigators looked at COVID-19 deaths between February 15, 2020, the date of the first confirmed death in the targeted countries, to May 31, 2020, when many countries began to lift gathering and movement restrictions. Ten relevant demographic, social, clinical and time-dependent factors were examined. Potential confounders between face mask policy and mortality reduction, such as non-pharmaceutical interventions, were identified.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2022-04-07): In some ways, that basic takeaway hasn’t changed much. Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong, told us that "there is good mechanistic evidence from laboratory studies that masks should have an effect on transmission" and that "evidence from randomized trials has not been consistent with a large effect of masks on transmission, but has been consistent with a small effect of masks on transmission." [...] Other indirect evidence comes from studies that have documented associations between self-reported mask wearing and control of the virus in a community, or the implementation of a mask mandate and a subsequent decline in COVID-19 cases or rates of hospitalization. [...] "We found clear evidence that surgical masks are effective in reducing symptomatic seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2. Although cloth masks clearly reduce symptoms, we find less clear evidence of their impact on symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections," the authors wrote. "Our results should not be taken to imply that mask-wearing can prevent only 10% of COVID-19 cases, let alone 10% of COVID-19 mortality. Our intervention induced 29 more people out of every 100 to wear masks, with 42% of people wearing masks in total. The total impact with near-universal masking — perhaps achievable with alternative strategies or stricter enforcement — may be several times larger than our 10% estimate."
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-10-29): Cited by - Effect of distributing locally produced cloth facemasks on COVID-19-like illness and all-cause mortality–a cluster-randomised controlled trial in urban Guinea-Bissau, PLOS Global Public Health, 4, 2, (e0002901), (2024).https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002901 - Symptom propagation in respiratory pathogens of public health concern: a review of the evidence, Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 21, 216, (2024).https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2024.0009 - Masking for COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections: implications of the available evidence, Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology, 4, 1, (2024).https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2024.67 - Evaluating the spike in the symptomatic proportion of SARS-CoV-2 in China in 2022 with variolation effects: a modeling analysis, Infectious Disease Modelling, 9, 2, (601-617), (2024).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idm.2024.02.011 - The impact of unfavorable and toxic environmental conditions on autonomic tone modulations while wearing N95 face masks, Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 9, (100619), (2024).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2024.100619 - How Does COVID-19 Risk Perception Affect Sense of Control?
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2023-03-08): Universal masking is recommended to slow the spread of COVID-19. Cloth masks and medical procedure masks substantially reduce exposure from infected wearers (source control) and reduce exposure of uninfected wearers (wearer exposure). [...] Universal masking is one of the prevention strategies recommended by CDC to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (1). As of February 1, 2021, start highlight38end highlight states and the District of Columbia had universal masking mandates. Mask wearing has also been mandated by executive order for federal property* as well as on domestic and international transportation conveyances.† Masks substantially reduce exhaled respiratory droplets and aerosols from infected wearers and reduce exposure of uninfected wearers to these particles. Cloth masks§ and medical procedure masks¶ fit more loosely than do respirators (e.g., N95 facepieces). The effectiveness of cloth and medical procedure masks can be improved by ensuring that they are well fitted to the contours of the face to prevent leakage of air around the masks’ edges. [...] Suggested citation for this article: Brooks JT, Beezhold DH, Noti JD, et al. Maximizing Fit for Cloth and Medical Procedure Masks to Improve Performance and Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Exposure, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:254–257. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7007e1.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2019-12-08): Stagnating National Declines in Stroke Mortality Mask Widespread County-Level Increases, 2010–2016
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-02-16): This measure also captures any reduction in mortality that can be attributed to the pandemic, such as decreased seasonal influenza (more people staying home and wearing masks) or improved air quality (less pollution as fewer drive to work).
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2024-04-30): - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear a mask in indoor public spaces if COVID-19 is spreading. This means if you're in an area with a high number of people with COVID-19 in the hospital. They suggest wearing the most protective mask possible that you'll wear regularly, that fits well and is comfortable.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-09-01): Prehospital endotracheal intubation for trauma does not improve survival over bag-valve-mask ventilation - PMID: 15128123 - DOI: 10.1097/01.ta.0000111755.94642.29 Prehospital endotracheal intubation for trauma does not improve survival over bag-valve-mask ventilation
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2014-11-07): - People who must spend time outdoors should consider wearing a mask (use the best well-fitting face mask you have on hand. A N95 or KN95 will work best), take frequent breaks, and adjust work or exercise schedules for when air conditions improve.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-04-24): The CDC says surpassing 100,000 deaths is a "sobering development and a heart-breaking reminder of the horrible toll of this unprecedented pandemic." It asks that Americans continue following local and state guidance on prevention strategies, such as social distancing, good hand hygiene, and wearing a face mask while in public. [...] Still a presidential nominee, Joe Biden calls on all governors to require their citizens to wear masks anytime they go out in public through November, and he claims he will mandate the practice if elected. At this point, there are a reported 165,000 deaths from COVID-19, and the measure is estimated to save 40,000 lives in the coming months. At this point, mask mandates still vary greatly among the states and regions. [...] A study published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report finds that people who recently tested positive for COVID-19 were 2.4 times more likely to have dined out. The study considered restaurant dining to include being seated at a patio, being seated outdoors, and being seated indoors. The odds jumped almost 4-fold for participants who had been to a bar or café. The majority of participants (71%) claimed to have worn masks in the 2 weeks before their diagnosis.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2021-07-28): CDC recommends additional prevention strategies to safeguard populations at highest risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, particularly in the context of the highly transmissible Delta variant. Unvaccinated persons remain at risk for infection, severe illness, and death. Advanced age, pregnancy, and an increasingly well-defined set of underlying medical conditions increase the risk for serious outcomes from COVID-19 among unvaccinated persons.¶¶ In addition, long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put members of certain racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk for serious illness and mortality from COVID-19. Persons taking immunosuppressive medications, persons with hematologic cancers, and hemodialysis patients, among others, have shown reduced immunologic responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and might remain at increased risk for severe COVID-19 following vaccination (3). CDC recommends unvaccinated persons should continue following all prevention strategies, including wearing a mask, until they are fully vaccinated. Immunocompromised persons should continue to take all recommended precautions until advised otherwise by their health care provider. Although COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States remain effective against severe outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection, a small proportion of persons who are fully vaccinated may become infected.
Claim: Wearing Masks Will Increase Mortality !! (Social Media Users, 2023-03-09)
Evidence (2020-12-09): These strategies include 1) universal face mask use, 2) maintaining physical distance from other persons and limiting in-person contacts, 3) avoiding nonessential indoor spaces and crowded outdoor spaces, 4) increasing testing to rapidly identify and isolate infected persons, 5) promptly identifying, quarantining, and testing close contacts of persons with known COVID-19, 6) safeguarding persons most at risk for severe illness or death from infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, 7) protecting essential workers with provision of adequate personal protective equipment and safe work practices, 8) postponing travel, 9) increasing room air ventilation and enhancing hand hygiene and environmental disinfection, and 10) achieving widespread availability and high community coverage with effective COVID-19 vaccines. In combination, these strategies can reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission, long-term sequelae or disability, and death, and mitigate the pandemic’s economic impact. Consistent implementation of these strategies improves health equity, preserves health care capacity, maintains the function of essential businesses, and supports the availability of in-person instruction for kindergarten through grade 12 schools and preschool. Individual persons, households, and communities should take these actions now to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission from its current high level.