> No significant practical difference in the slope of the curve in areas with (supposedly?) 99% vax vs areas with 50% vax does have certain unavoidable mathematical implications. Either 99% isn't enough to be effective, in which case its practically useless as 99% is ridiculous high, or 50% is "high enough" that its doing all the good it can possibly do even at that low level, so no need for social pressure to push it.
Or, if we apply Occam's razor, a better explanation is adverse selection.
In areas with high vaccination rates and low vaccination rates, those prone to ignoring the problem (refusing to get vaccinated, refusing to get tested, and refusing to wear masks) are still going out and spreading the disease. In both high and low vaccination rate environments the careful are still not getting sick because they're being careful.
The statistics are crystal clear: of those in hospital, the unvaccinated are dramatically, dramatically overrepresented. 4X more likely to test positive, 4X more likely to be hospitalized, 10X more likely to die. [1] They're also dramatically overrepresented in the positive cases.
> There's a similar trend in masking data seen on covid19.healthdata.org.
[citation needed]
> The authoritarian authorities say masks work great with no real world evidence behind that aggressively enforced statement. The actual graphs of data show no correlation between mask wearing and rate of infection in the general public when comparing state experiences.
Except they do, see Figure 1. [2]
> What I can't explain is why people have been spending thousands of dollars for decades on asbestos removal gear, exotic aircraft paint respirators, virology research lab glove boxes, and all along all we've needed to prevent a fatal pandemic is a mere single strip of cloth; someone should inform OSHA.
This is also addressed in Figure 1. It clearly shows that while better gear is more protective, lower quality gear is still effective. Respirators for asbestos, paint and COVID are obviously different due to the nature of the material being blocked. COVID spreads by droplets - your goal is to catch them before they leave or enter your airway. Paints, your goal is to eliminate VOCs which are molecules - not virii. Asbestos your goal is to eliminate particulate. But of course, in paint shops and asbestos removal you're constantly exposed. This is not true of COVID masking.
> If you follow the money, interesting things are seen that explain a lot.
Or, if we apply Occam's razor, a better explanation is adverse selection.
In areas with high vaccination rates and low vaccination rates, those prone to ignoring the problem (refusing to get vaccinated, refusing to get tested, and refusing to wear masks) are still going out and spreading the disease. In both high and low vaccination rate environments the careful are still not getting sick because they're being careful.
The statistics are crystal clear: of those in hospital, the unvaccinated are dramatically, dramatically overrepresented. 4X more likely to test positive, 4X more likely to be hospitalized, 10X more likely to die. [1] They're also dramatically overrepresented in the positive cases.
> There's a similar trend in masking data seen on covid19.healthdata.org.
[citation needed]
> The authoritarian authorities say masks work great with no real world evidence behind that aggressively enforced statement. The actual graphs of data show no correlation between mask wearing and rate of infection in the general public when comparing state experiences.
Except they do, see Figure 1. [2]
> What I can't explain is why people have been spending thousands of dollars for decades on asbestos removal gear, exotic aircraft paint respirators, virology research lab glove boxes, and all along all we've needed to prevent a fatal pandemic is a mere single strip of cloth; someone should inform OSHA.
This is also addressed in Figure 1. It clearly shows that while better gear is more protective, lower quality gear is still effective. Respirators for asbestos, paint and COVID are obviously different due to the nature of the material being blocked. COVID spreads by droplets - your goal is to catch them before they leave or enter your airway. Paints, your goal is to eliminate VOCs which are molecules - not virii. Asbestos your goal is to eliminate particulate. But of course, in paint shops and asbestos removal you're constantly exposed. This is not true of COVID masking.
> If you follow the money, interesting things are seen that explain a lot.
I'm not sure Big PPE is behind this one.
[1] https://www.statista.com/chart/25589/covid-19-infections-vac...
[2] https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118