70.6% of people who were infected with Covid-19 “Always” wear masks [pdf] (opens in new tab)

The longer this pandemic lasts, the more I come to the conclusion that no-one actually knows what's going on.

It's long been apparent that governments are thrashing round, making it up as they go along and flip-flopping from one policy to another. But now, increasingly it seems like the medical community is pretty much doing the same.

Over the past few weeks, I've started to see conflicting advice and polar opposite opinions attributed to 'spokespersons' from organisations like the WHO where, at the beginning of the pandemic, I got the impression that such bodies were pretty much speaking with one voice.

Many people don't wear the mask properly. Wearing the mask as a chin diaper is not effective. To get the maximum protection from wearing the mask you have to don and doff correctly, fit the mask properly. You may need to shave the beard or trim it so that there is better fit.

If wearing the mask correctly decreases the changes of getting covid-19 40%-60%, doubling the time spend in risky areas because one feels protected increases the risk back to normal. Its still beneficial, but the risk does not change.

Masks don't cover eyeballs and hands. Plenty of scientists have learned the hard way what happens when you don't wear proper eye protection and work with viral material. Rabies is especially not forgiving. There are plenty of other ways to get a virus into the system. Micro-fractures in the nasal passage, gum disease, open wounds. Shaking hands then rubbing your eyes or picking your nose. I could go on and on, but this would get really graphic.

This seems about right, I see large numbers of people wearing masks which should reduce the chance of getting the virus. I see low numbers of people not wearing masks. It makes sense to me that the sizable majority would experience a majority of infections.

"Please note: This report has been corrected. An erratum has been published"

Anyone knows where it is?

What about the people who infected them?