Dennis Prager Show - To Mask or Not to Mask? Did Scientists Cave to the Left?
Aired: 2020-08-07
Duration: 03:22


=== Mask Misconceptions (02:23) ===

[00:00:01]  On the internet, when the New England Journal of Medicine article is cited, where the doctors said, wearing a mask outside healthcare facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.
[00:00:16]  New England Journal of Medicine.
[00:00:18]  So there are people who say, ah, you're not telling the truth, the whole truth, because they wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.
[00:00:27]  Afterwards.
[00:00:28]  Did you see that?
[00:00:28]  I saw it.
[00:00:29]  I was totally aware of it.
[00:00:31]  And it does nothing to undo what they said.
[00:00:35]  They got spooked.
[00:00:38]  The left got to them.
[00:00:40]  You can't let people think that masks are useless.
[00:00:44]  You scientists and the New England Journal of Medicine.
[00:00:47]  So they write, "We understand that some people are citing our perspective article, published on April 1st at New England Journal of Medicine.org, as support for discrediting widespread masking.
[00:01:01]  In truth, the intent of our article was to push for more masking, not less." That's not true at all.
[00:01:07]  It's completely not true.
[00:01:10]  They just don't want to be attacked by the left.
[00:01:13]  So you lie.
[00:01:15]  It is apparent that many people with SARS-CoV-2 infection are asymptomatic or presymptomatic, yet highly contagious.
[00:01:23]  And that these people account for a substantial fraction of all transmissions.
[00:01:27]  Universal masking helps to prevent such people from spreading virus-laden secretions, whether they recognize that they are infected or not.
[00:01:35]  We did state in the article that, quote, wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.
[00:01:44]  So, I will continue reading.
[00:01:46]  So, if you were to take these doctors at their word, They have undone the point of the article.
[00:01:54]  They should just say, we were wrong.
[00:01:58]  But they weren't wrong.
[00:02:00]  Okay.
[00:02:01]  We did state that wearing a mask outside healthcare facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.
[00:02:07]  But as the rest of the paragraph makes clear, now listen carefully.

=== Sustained Interactions Matter (01:13) ===

[00:02:12]  We intended this statement to apply to passing encounters in public spaces.
[00:02:19]  That's why I don't wear them outside.
[00:02:22]  Because they're useless.
[00:02:25]  That's exactly what the doctors have reinforced with their clarification letter.
[00:02:31]  We intended this statement to apply to passing encounters in public spaces.
[00:02:38]  And you ready?
[00:02:39]  Even in enclosed spaces, passing encounters don't count.
[00:02:45]  Because they write, Not sustained interactions within closed environments.
[00:02:54]  That's right.
[00:02:55]  Sustained.
[00:02:56]  And they said what sustained was 10 to 30 minutes.
[00:02:58]  If you are very close to somebody for 10 to 30 minutes, face to face, then a mask might help.
[00:03:09]  Indoors.
[00:03:10]  Indoors.
[00:03:14]  Just wanted you to know that.
[00:03:17]  And yet people cite the letter as if it somehow negates their entire point.