Professor Mark Alan Smith write in Quillette, "Masking Uncertainty in Public Health."
The article discusses the history of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidance on wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof. Mark Alan Smith argues that the CDC initially made an unscientific dogmatic decision to advise against wearing masks and later made another unscientific decision to recommend them without proper research. He criticizes the CDC's reliance on flawed studies and anecdotal evidence to support their claims about mask efficacy. The article suggests that political polarization has contributed to the issue, with Democrats embracing masks at a higher rate than Republicans. Ultimately, Prof. Mark Alan Smith advocates for transparent communication of uncertainty and rigorous research to guide public health policies.
"The ball is now firmly in the court of the CDC and other leaders in public health. It’s not too late for them to recommit to science and fulfill the Cochrane request for large-scale RCTs."