New Restrictions on Bars & Restaurants in PA

[psu_et_vt]

The CDC said no masks early on because years of studies said masks didn't work.

Because they were working on the premise of masks protecting the mask wearer and worried about the supply of PPE for health care workers.
The WHO does not (nor did it ever) tell the US what to do. The WHO acts as a conduit for information world wide and tries to get international cooperation regarding health emergency response.
The CDC is part of our government and is supposed to cover the national response and coordinate with local health agencies and hospitals regarding our response to an emergency. Because only the federal government has the resources or the authority to coordinate a nationwide response, that is how it should be done.

 

[UncleLar]

The CDC said no masks early on because years of studies said masks didn't work.

Partially true. The studies that you are refer to show the masks that people are wearing don't work protecting YOU. N95 respirators do work as self protection. The no masks recommendation was to prevent a run on N95 respirators so there would be enough for the health care workers. Nothing has changed about those studies. But what is now known is that masks do work in protecting OTHERS. You aren't wearing a mask to prevent yourself from getting COVID-19, you are wearing one in case you have it and are an asymptomatic transmitter. If you want to protect yourself, you need an N95 respirator.

 

[katchthis]

Masks......

 

[UncleLar]

Masks......

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Interesting theory. I'm not sure that's generally accepted as true but, if it gets more people wearing masks, then, fantastic, spread the word.