Read on Twitter
This Professor of Logic thinks this article is conclusive evidence that masks work. But he hasn't actually read it to see that there are a number of inconsistencies and half truths https://twitter.com/FactsReason/status/1283320652242485248
The actual evidence is "epidemiological data" which is pretty much "look where numbers are high and low. Low ones have mask mandates". But if you look into the research that it links to, that's not true
This research first clarifies the environmental differences between nations that will cause different case numbers
So less population density and warmer temperatures mean fewer deaths? Apparently not, it's all to do with masks and assumption that there is mask compliance in those nations
This table goes into when masks guidelines were set, or mask wearing was mandated. Many of the comments refer to polls that are not regionally based meaning density is not being accounted for, and no reference to climate.
If you look through this table, you'll see there's basically zero consistency in mask guidelines, public wearing masks and mortality per million (Czhecia mandated since march, 25.8 per million..
Bosnia mandated March mortality per million is 31. Sudan however, 20% take up of masks in public, mortality 1.5 per million. Malawi 20% mask take up 0.2 per mill mortality
Antigua, mandates masks early april, mortality 30.6 per mill. In fact, the highest mortality rates in this chart all had masks mandates in place within the first month of their outbreak.
The report goes onto summarising European countries, but does not break this down into a similar chart to demonstrate that some nations had significantly higher mortality rates than others, despite no mask mandates or public mask prevalence.
The graphical analysis of data has completely ignored the climate and density conditions that it started out highlighting, it just groups all countries with mask mandates together. E.g. New York is over half of all US mortality, but is all counted as 1 nation
Masked nations are all grouped together, but the chart does not separate actual mask prevalence. As long as there is government guidance, then that is good enough to call it a masked nation, irrespective of actual mask usage (which in chart above we are told is as low as 20%)
Its summary concludes that the population's health (obesity, age) are significant contributors, but then ignores that by attributing it all to masks
None of these people are critical of the research they excitedly post on twitter, they see headlines and spin and that is good enough for them
