I am no medical person to suggest that WHO had been wrong in their earlier prescription that masks are not needed to protect ourselves- and domestically we've also been told that only those who are at risk or have symptoms should wear mask.
Not sure if you have been following what I stated in this thread not long ago- when someone coughs or sneezes in the supermarket aisles, the droplets can remain airborne for some time and if you happen to pass by not long after, you could catch it. So you need mask- and as Taleb pointed out, all the countries with a less steep curve wear masks - in China / HK/ South Korea, if you don't wear mask when in public, you are stared at, here its the opposite, if you do (wear mask) here, you are stared at as if you could be having the virus.
What makes Australia & USA different to these Asian countries and their practices that we cannot learn from their experiences? They wear mask, we don't. They adhere to strict lockdowns, we are half measured. They have brought their cases down, we haven't . And we are all the same humans. Even POTUS is now asking people to use scarves as makeshift masks - better late than never.
The reality may be further than the truth- there aren't enough masks around and they''re needed by the healthcare workers, just as schools not shut because it poses a dilemma for healthcare workers needed at work not to be home with their kids. Perhaps.
As as you know my mantra has been Be Ahead of the Curve. The 80% of market participants who have been late to recognise an unfolding bear market when it began is like the 80% of shoppers who had to queue for their supplies after an impending lockdown , and the 80% will also be Behind the Curve when it comes to masks (they are already difficult to get without even trying).
We have also got to watch out for redemption risks in managed funds - risk of getting frozen out if there is excessive redemption that funds begin to institute a redemption closure. Some bond funds may not be correctly priced - no market discovery working at the moment- no mark to market and so their actual value could be a lot lower later when price discovery happens.
Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate, Be Ahead of the Curve!
Oh....I haven't got my gold bars yet....it may be already too late.
"Stop Buying Masks"..? Oh Wait! CDC Considers Asking Public To Wear Face Masks
This is irony at its finest.
The United States Surgeon General used twitter to tell the public to NOT use face masks to protect against the coronavirus because they don’t work, they only work for health care workers. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering a recommendation that people wear masks when in public.
WHO: No recommendation for well individuals to wear masks
We all remember this - when Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweet said it all "Stop Buying Masks!":
U.S. Surgeon General
✔@Surgeon_General
Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!
They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk! http://bit.ly/37Ay6Cm
He was not alone.
World Health Organization officials Monday said they still recommend people not wear face masks unless they are sick with Covid-19 or caring for someone who is sick.
"There is no specific evidence to suggest that the wearing of masks by the mass population has any potential benefit. In fact, there's some evidence to suggest the opposite in the misuse of wearing a mask properly or fitting it properly," Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program, said at a media briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday. "There also is the issue that we have a massive global shortage," Ryan said about masks and other medical supplies.
"Right now the people most at risk from this virus are frontline health workers who are exposed to the virus every second of every day. The thought of them not having masks is horrific."
We were told that face masks weren’t effective at preventing a coronavirus infection unless we are a healthcare worker, but now the CDC is saying otherwise.
There’s still no consensus (meaning someone from the government hasn’t made a decision yet) on whether widespread use of facial coverings would make a significant difference, and some infectious disease experts worry that masks could lull people into a false sense of security and make them less disciplined about social distancing, according to a report by The Washington Post. But studies done by doctors in the medical field have shown properly fitting N95 face masks to be about 80% effective.
They are certainly better than nothing and could be used to get people back in public and the economy on a roll again. It’s an “ongoing discussion” however, and nothing has been finalized. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said the new guidance would make clear that the general public should not use medical masks - including surgical and N95 masks - that are in desperately short supply and needed by health-care workers. So once again, the guidelines would be to “cover your face” not use a respirator that could actually stand a chance at protecting you.
Nassim Taleb had strong feelings about the bullshit...
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
✔@nntaleb
This is the strongest statistical association I've seen w/ respect to the virus. Wear a mask, mandate others to wear masks, & remember that @WHO is criminally incompetent. To repeat:@WHO is criminally incompetent.
PS-Don't get into elevators, buses, etc. unless your mask in N95https://twitter.com/Jonn__Mc/status/1244957684820070402 …
Jonn Mc@Jonn__Mc
Replying to @nntaleb @who
Sad but true, you suck @who . The mask countries are so much better off. Best masks should go to highest prio of course. Hospitals, nursing homes etc
At the daily White House briefing Monday, President Trump was asked if everyone should wear nonmedical fabric masks. “That’s certainly something we could discuss,” Trump said, adding, “it could be something like that for a limited period of time.”
It seems like the government can’t make up their mind on just about anything. But the one thing they have been doing is expanding their power and getting the docile population in a constant state of fear.
