> The idea that people might infect themselves by handling their own masks sounds very far-fetched to me. What mechanism is supposed to do that?
The article I linked discusses the only study on cloth masks from 2015. The study has some limitations but showed that cloth masks had a higher rate of infection.
In the general population it's not hard to imagine compliance will not be perfect. That is why we need controlled trials.
There have also been assumptions that homeopathy doesn't harm. Scientists did a survey and discovered that therapists were recommending that their patients didn't vaccinate. This is from the book Trick or Treatment.
TLDR: Testing assumptions is very important. Lives depend on it.
> TLDR: Testing assumptions is very important. Lives depend on it.
100% this! Masks are one of those "obvious" things. But scientific inquiry has repeatedly shown we need to test obvious things. Preferably before making legally binding policies.
The article I linked discusses the only study on cloth masks from 2015. The study has some limitations but showed that cloth masks had a higher rate of infection.
In the general population it's not hard to imagine compliance will not be perfect. That is why we need controlled trials.
There have also been assumptions that homeopathy doesn't harm. Scientists did a survey and discovered that therapists were recommending that their patients didn't vaccinate. This is from the book Trick or Treatment.
TLDR: Testing assumptions is very important. Lives depend on it.