CDC claims that masks stopped the spread of covid in kansas by comparing masked and non-masked counties.

counterpoint: this was a cherry pick in terms of date and seasonality.

they ended the "study" aug 23.

then, covid season hit and the masks look to have made no difference. https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD/status/1330488426068660226

how is it that every time someone has a "masks work" study, as soon as you look at how they did it, the methodology falls apart?

"team mask" has been relentless in pushing tragically, offensively bad science and top officials like gottlieb parrot it.

did he even read it?

because it's clearly a hilariously bad methodology and we've now had more data to check the hypothesis.

this study was released with the data that disproves it already available.

let's repeat that:

this study was released with the data that disproves it already available.

did anyone check? did they even care or try?

how could this pass review? was there any?

how do you put out data like this from 3 months ago when kansas had not had its covid surge then ignore the data from the surge?

who does that?

sorry, trick question. the answer is "the whole CDC seems to do this all the time."

CDC head redfield pushed this truly awful study back in may.

how is this garbage passing muster?

(this thread will walk you through the issues with the study) https://twitter.com/boriquagato/status/1288190966621405186?s=20

a first year analyst would shred this stuff

the idea that no one at the CDC knows better is horrifying.

it's also implausible

this is politics mask-a-rading as science and career politicians trading their credibility for political clout and job security.

frankly, it's gross .