[snakeoil]

Covid , covid, covid. Yes Dump it does make a difference. I caught the virus 2 months ago. Believe me, do not catch the virus, you can't afford it. Wear your mask.

[johnforbes]

Wearing a mask will NOT prevent anybody from catching covid.

The ONLY purpose of a mask is to limit spread if you have covid and then cough or sneeze.

If you can breathe with your mask on (and you can), you can catch covid.

[elklindo69]

Covid-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee have risen at a far lower rate in areas that have mask-wearing mandates than those that don’t, a new analysis from Vanderbilt University researchers found, reinforcing evidence showing that face masks play a significant role in slowing coronavirus transmission.

KEY FACTS
The study found that in Tennessee hospitals where less than 25% of patients came from counties with a mask mandate, hospitalizations as of Oct. 23 had risen by more than 200% since July 1.

Hospitals in which 26% to 50% of patients were from counties with mask mandates saw hospitalizations rise by approximately 100% since July 1.

In hospitals where patients came from counties where more than 75% of patients were under mask mandates, there was virtually no change in the level of hospitalizations since July 1, and hospitalizations only slightly increased in hospitals where 51 to 75% of patients were under mask mandates.

The researchers note that areas that have mask requirements also have “greater changes in other community behavior” that could reduce Covid-19 transmission, so the lower hospitalization rates may not be attributable to masks alone.

The researchers also make clear that with hospitalizations going up across the state, “masking alone is not a silver bullet” to prevent hospitalizations entirely.