I like a quote from Harry Truman:  "Experts should be on tap, not on top." 

You wear the mask as long as you like Dr Fauci, I am about done with it, and I would venture to guess that a large portion of the US is too!  I will give the mask till about June, then I am going to start showing my civil disobedience.

 
I have never participated, I just keep my distance.  Costco is the exception because I cannot get in the door without it.  I read the randomized control studies for scientific information, not political science.  The gold standard for studies, of which 3 were done last year alone, have shown that masks make no statistical difference in the the contraction or the spread.  The one the Marines did was fascinating.  No standard American could replicate what they did to prevent the spread on a day to day basis, and the control group (no masks) still faired better with less cases.  Any mask that would protect you would have to be taped to your face around the edges and have a fabric weave so tight you could not breathe.  Walk outside on a cold day and breathe...you can visually see why they make no difference.

IMO, Dr. Fauci gave his best opinions based on the data available at the time. He never claimed to be a fortune teller, just an doctor with knowledge of these types of illnesses. His erroneous comments were not near as bad as Trump telling the country that the virus would go away in a couple of weeks.

IMO, Dr. Fauci gave his best opinions based on the data available at the time.

Well, yes and no.  He has admitted that he deliberately misstated his beliefs on the percentage needed for herd immunity because he did not believe the public was ready to hear his true opinion and had to be somehow eased into it.  He has also stated , after the fact of course, that he deliberately told people masks weren't necessary in order to conserve them for use by medical personnel.  So, he has no problem bending the truth to fit his narrative -- like a politician -- rather than stating facts based on data -- like a scientist. Also, he apparently decided that most Americans were somehow childlike and could not handle the truth and so he would make the decision on when and what was the appropriate and correct information to share -- again, like a politician, not a scientist.

And that always makes me think of a jury instruction we always gave: A witness false in one part of his or her testimony is to be distrusted in others.

Well folks get ready for round two of vaccinations.  Both Pfizer and Moderna are working a new version of their vaccines to cover the variants.  The new vaccines will be given as a third dose for those already vaccinated.  Vaccine production will be cut over to the new versions once approved.  Folks that have not been vaccinated will be given only two doses of the new version. 

This is going to become a yearly thing for us just like a flu shot.

What you say may be true, but we've all, at one time or another, had to make a choice of the lessor of two evils.

IMO, Dr. Fauci gave his best opinions based on the data available at the time. He never claimed to be a fortune teller, just an doctor with knowledge of these types of illnesses. His erroneous comments were not near as bad as Trump telling the country that the virus would go away in a couple of weeks.

Well both of them never met a camera or audience that they did not like. I think though both of them had different motivation in my opinion.
Trump while reckless in many regards was motivated by the portrayal of positive progress.
Fauci flip flopped so much that I truly believe he became irrelevant months ago.
How many times have you witnessed people wearing masks incorrectly, dirtier than the bottom of your shoe, people jammed in tight like tuna in a can at the store, any store.
History will be the determining factor and many will have to eat crow, of that I am sure.
Collateral damage is and will continue to be catastrophic.

It is the hypocrisy or double standard, call it what you will that I dislike.  Restaurants have to cut their occupancy in half, do much more cleaning then the average business and jump through hoops.  While the grocery store can have the customer come in, pick up 7 different apples and put them back.  Pick up 4 different oranges and put them back...you get my point.  No repercussions what so ever!

It is the hypocrisy or double standard, call it what you will that I dislike.  Restaurants have to cut their occupancy in half, do much more cleaning then the average business and jump through hoops.  While the grocery store can have the customer come in, pick up 7 different apples and put them back.  Pick up 4 different oranges and put them back...you get my point.  No repercussions what so ever!

I hear you there...
My wife does the shopping, and for the most part, she just gets frozen fruits and vegetables now.
Need to get a garden going this spring.

It is the hypocrisy or double standard, call it what you will that I dislike.  Restaurants have to cut their occupancy in half, do much more cleaning then the average business and jump through hoops.  While the grocery store can have the customer come in, pick up 7 different apples and put them back.  Pick up 4 different oranges and put them back...you get my point.  No repercussions what so ever!

Bingo. That is exactly what I tried to portray.

I disinfect shopping cart handles and wash my hands frequently but I'm not anal about wiping down items off of the shelf or packages delivered to my home. Here is an interesting article on the subject; https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4

Can you please point me to theses 3?

I read the randomized control studies for scientific information, not political science.  The gold standard for studies, of which 3 were done last year alone, have shown that masks make no statistical difference in the the contraction or the spread.  The one the Marines did was fascinating.

Can you please point me to theses 3?

I read the randomized control studies for scientific information, not political science.  The gold standard for studies, of which 3 were done last year alone, have shown that masks make no statistical difference in the the contraction or the spread.  The one the Marines did was fascinating.

The studies are not as easy to find as they use to be, I think the tech overlords are trying to bury them.  I have read quite a few between 2010 and 2020, and they all pretty much said the same thing too.  No statistical difference.  My biggest frustration with all of this, is that public policy is not being set based off of real world studies, but computer models, political panic porn, and lab theories that have not stood up to real world tests.  I have included the first two links are the studies from 2020 that I was referring to.  The 3rd, I believe it was out of Asia, I am unable to find on a quick search.  When I have more time I will continue looking.  The other links after the first 2 were what I found while searching for the 3rd.  I think the study from 2015 is what everyone should pay attention to regarding the cloth masks.  Have fun, they are pretty dry.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2029717
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25903751/
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article

I have found some of the best information when reading an article that sites its sources at the bottom of the page and gives links to the studies.  Any good journalist will do this.

Thank you so much!  If I am going to use data when I speak with folks, I want to know what sources I am using and are they credible.  3 of those sites I know, and the 4th I will research!

The second link research was payed for by acpjournals is a group of retail organizations including Starbucks etc.  So they have reason to use anything to discount use of masks.  It's like me conducting research that beer consumption causes great wisdom.