And here is a meta analysis that suggests hand washing has a significantly protective effect, while wearing masks has a protective effect just not significant,
Given that information it would make sense to broadly encourage hand washing over wearing masks. And that's exactly what the CDC did.
Looking at the state of things now, I see far more messaging about wearing masks than washing hands, and I'm not convinced that this has been beneficial. OTOH, maybe we were screwed either way. Some people have been determined to ignore guidelines.
Interesting, the study definitely goes against my priors re: respiratory pandemic.
I still find it interesting, though, that in practice most experts (doctors, governments) do wear masks and/or encourage their use (some very recent "newcomers" as well - e.g. Switzerland and Sweden, who are only starting mask-wearing recommendations new). Are they denying settled science, or just being pragmatic (masks probably help, so even if it's not proven, doesn't hurt to wear them)?
I think the emphasis on wearing masks is simply because that isn't the norm in the West. Washing hands is the norm (or rather, should be, we've all been hearing it since childhood...).
> Are they denying settled science, or just being pragmatic (masks probably help, so even if it's not proven, doesn't hurt to wear them)?
Medical professionals wore them prior to this pandemic because they receive training on how to use them properly and they are well stocked where needed. Single use, only touch the strings, etc. They also know they are constantly in the presence of disease and risk transmitting it to those they are trying to help. In non-pandemic times there is a higher chance for an asymptomatic doctor or nurse to infect an at-risk patient than there is for an asymptomatic member of the general public to infect an at-risk person.
> I think the emphasis on wearing masks is simply because that isn't the norm in the West. Washing hands is the norm (or rather, should be, we've all been hearing it since childhood...).
I agree. The part that should be normal worldwide is that sick people should wear a mask to prevent transmission of any virus, pandemic or no pandemic. Hong Kong and Taiwan learned this during SARS and maintained the habit as part of their culture. They also wear them to filter air pollution. So, those two factors made it easy for them to accept masks for all in 2020. I don't think mask wearing for sick people was regular practice anywhere outside of medical professionals before 2002. And AFAIK it has not yet caught on everywhere even amidst this pandemic.
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9qw3y0/do_count...
And here is a meta analysis that suggests hand washing has a significantly protective effect, while wearing masks has a protective effect just not significant,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175543651...
Given that information it would make sense to broadly encourage hand washing over wearing masks. And that's exactly what the CDC did.
Looking at the state of things now, I see far more messaging about wearing masks than washing hands, and I'm not convinced that this has been beneficial. OTOH, maybe we were screwed either way. Some people have been determined to ignore guidelines.