On October 13, Tucker Carlson said on his show, "According to a recent CDC report, "almost everyone — 85% — who got the coronavirus in July was wearing a mask, and they were infected anyway. So clearly (wearing a mask) doesn’t work the way they tell us it works."
This is false.
The report he was referring to was this September 11 MMWR report from the CDC which analyzes symptomatic individuals in two groups: one who tested positive and one who tested negative.
Showing the feedback loop between Fox News and President Trump, Trump said yesterday at a campaign rally in North Carolina: "Did you see, the CDC, that 85% of the people wearing the masks catch it, OK?"
Here's the thing: this is not what the report said.
The study wasn't even measuring mask effectiveness. It looked at activities that could make individuals more likely to test positive, including close contacts and eating and drinking at restaurants and bars. Those who went to restaurants were ~2x as likely to test positive.
The CDC asked individuals about their mask use before their test. Of those in the control group (symptomatic individuals who tested positive) 85% reported wearing a mask "always" or "often." This is where the 85% comes from. For the case group (negatives), that number was 88%.
As @camille_caldera points out, "an even higher percentage of the 'control patients' who did not contract the virus self-reported always wearing masks, at 74.2%, which suggests that their mask-wearing may have helped stave off the virus." usatoday.com/story/news/fac…
One of the study's authors: “The data suggest that among a group of patients who are already showing symptoms…s, there was no statistical evidence of a difference in mask wearing behavior between those who tested positive and those who tested negative." cnn.com/politics/live-…
Carlson completely misrepresented the point of the study, which sought out to determine what activities contribute to an increased risk of contracting coronavirus. Restaurants often mean that people do not use masks when they are eating or drinking. politifact.com/factchecks/202…
Bottom line: We're calling @callin_bull on this claim. It's just completely misrepresented and false. But why is this all important?
Because the president now believes it.
Truth matters. Facts matter. And this is not a president of science and truth.
Fox should be ashamed.
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#TheInsiders: A Warning from Former Trump Officials — a CNN special — starts now. Looking forward to hearing from @OliviaTroye and @RickABright on pandemic response.
"I think it’s beyond worry," @RickABright says. "I know that his actions and his words and the things he is doing now are extending the duration and the magnitude of this pandemic."
"I saw Dr. Fauci brief repeatedly," @OliviaTroye says. "I saw people in the room during the meetings — people, senior White House officials — look away and roll their eyes."
Updated this week's College Watchlist with latest case counts. Currently tracking 104,746 total cases at 92 colleges. Number of colleges in each threshold group (vs. last week):
At the top of the list for cases in the last 7 days:
- Clemson University - 260
- University of Florida - 219
- University of Central Florida - 218
- Miami University-Oxford - 204
- Brigham Young University - 156
⅗ were in the top 5 last week.
While according to official school data, cases are slowing down compared to the beginning of the semester, I am concerned about cases and spread undetected as some students may not be tested through the college. My College Towns dashboard aims to fix this. public.tableau.com/views/Covid-19…
Today is October 1. At the end of July, @PeterHotez wrote a national plan detailing the steps we as a nation must take to safely reopen our schools, colleges, and businesses, and even have football back safely. Have we met these goals? A thread: journals.elsevier.com/microbes-and-i…
Let's take a national look first. From the end of July (when the report was written) to the end of September (now), daily cases are down 35%, hospitalizations down 49% and deaths down 29%. One would be quick to declare victory, but this is not the complete picture.
When we look at this week's numbers compared to the beginning of September, we see an 8% increase in cases, 11% decrease in hospitalizations and 12% decrease in deaths. The U.S. is potentially on the verge of a spike as we move into the fall and we must be aware of this.
New: The CDC has updated its testing guidance for colleges and universities. Previously only recommending testing for symptomatic individuals and contacts (and not recommending entry testing), the agency has posted more comprehensive guidelines. Thread: cdc.gov/coronavirus/20…
In the June 30 guidance, the CDC "does not recommend entry testing of all returning students, faculty, and staff." Experts like @CT_Bergstrom have critiqued this decision, calling it "inexplicable and irresponsible." chronicle.com/article/the-cd…
Wolf Blitzer right out of the gate: "Clearly this was the most chaotic presidential debate I've ever seen.…I wouldn't be surprised if this was the last presidential debate between the president and the former vice president."
"That was a hot mess instead of a dumpster fire inside of a train wreck," @jaketapper says. "That wasn’t a debate. It was a disgrace…the American people lost tonight."
.@DanaBashCNN had one word: "That was a shitshow."
"In a college or university setting…entry screening combined with regular serial testing might prevent or reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2."
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield co-wrote this today. Then why did the CDC not recommend entry testing? jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/…
"COVID-19 risks to college students and staff and their surrounding communities are inevitably intertwined. Coordination of mitigation measures including robust testing both on and near campuses will be essential for reducing or preventing transmission."
Experts like @CT_Bergstrom have argued months ago that entry testing of all students would be necessary for college reopenings and that the CDC’s recommendation to not test all on entry was wrong. Now it seems Dr. Redfielf admitted his mistake.