Are lockdowns justified?

[FlatAssembler]

If 540 thousand Americans died from COVID in 2020, then the excess mortality in 2020 would be at least 540 thousand. But it isn't.

There are other factors involved here. Like lockdowns. I don't know about you, but I haven't had any virus in over a year. Flu deaths are way down, and others from other aspects of lockdowns. 
Is that what you mean?

And why are flu deaths down, while COVID is up? Could it be that some deaths that are attributed to COVID are actually from the flu? Or could it be that masks, while they have some effect on flu, have no effect on COVID? We know flu is not airborne, but only transmitted via droplets, so masks can indeed do something about it. But COVID can, as far as we know, be airborne, so that masks that are commonly worn have no effect on it. It is probably a combination of those two things, right?

[The Grand Nudger]

The trouble, Flat, is that you're late to this party. Nutbars have already tried all of these in the american market.

[Mermaid]

There are other factors involved here. Like lockdowns. I don't know about you, but I haven't had any virus in over a year. Flu deaths are way down, and others from other aspects of lockdowns. 
Is that what you mean?

And why are flu deaths down, while COVID is up? Could it be that some deaths that are attributed to COVID are actually from the flu? Or could it be that masks, while they have some effect on flu, have no effect on COVID? We know flu is not airborne, but only transmitted via droplets, so masks can indeed do something about it. But COVID can, as far as we know, be airborne, so that masks that are commonly worn have no effect on it. It is probably a combination of those two things, right?

Really?! 

Because we've been isolating and social distancing maybe? And yes, masks have an effect. What are your sources for information? You need to change those. 
Holy crap. Do some critical thinking. This is not that hard.

[Pat Mustard]

<snipping the bullshit>

No amount of misusing memes is going to disguise the fact that you're still an idiot conspiracy theorist.

[Abaddon_ire]

There are other factors involved here. Like lockdowns. I don't know about you, but I haven't had any virus in over a year. Flu deaths are way down, and others from other aspects of lockdowns. 
Is that what you mean?

And why are flu deaths down, while COVID is up?

Because flu is equally prevented by the measures in place, but COVID is more infectious than flu.

Could it be that some deaths that are attributed to COVID are actually from the flu?

No.

Or could it be that masks, while they have some effect on flu, have no effect on COVID?

COVID and flu are equally affected by wearing of masks and social distancing etc. Such precautions do not stop either, they reduce it's spread. Once again COVID is more highly infectious.

We know flu is not airborne, but only transmitted via droplets, so masks can indeed do something about it. But COVID can, as far as we know, be airborne, so that masks that are commonly worn have no effect on it.

Where did you get this crapulent notion?

COVID is spread by surface contact, just like flu.
COVID is spread by droplets, just like flu.
COVID is spread by aerosols, just like flu.

In your own words, explain what you think aerosols are.

It is probably a combination of those two things, right?

Wrong.

It is like trying to explain simple things to a child.

[FlatAssembler]

Where did you get this crapulent notion?

You need to understand that, paradoxically, while cotton masks offer some protection against small viruses, they offer no protection against large viruses. Small viruses, such as the influenza virus, cannot survive outside of droplets, and droplets are much larger than viruses. Cotton masks can (and mostly do) absorb the droplets carrying the small viruses, thus killing those viruses. Large viruses, on the other hand, are airborne, and can survive in air, that is, outside droplets. And, since even the largest viruses are way smaller than almost any droplet, thus, cotton masks have no effect on them. The COVID-19 virus is right on the border of the sizes of airborne viruses and viruses that can only be carried by droplets. Given the data we have, it is quite possible masks that are usually worn have no effect on COVID-19. The Danish study, most famously, found no effect whatsoever.

[The Grand Nudger]

All of this, all of it, Flat - has already been offered up and passed through the gut of americana. You're getting secondhand disinformation. None it it helped us - half a million dead. How much contempt do you think a person or party must have for you to try a repeat?

[HappySkeptic]

The Danish study, most famously, found no effect whatsoever.

No, their results were inconclusive.  There were many problems with interpreting that study, including the low infection rates at the time, the use of antibody tests to determine infection (which leads to false positives in both groups, possibly causing the inconclusive results), poor compliance (though perhaps similar to how people use them in the wild elsewhere), and tested in an environment where others DIDN'T wear masks.

The author of the study says people should wear masks.

Other studies show the effectiveness of masks, at least where everyone wears them.

So, lets get beyond the right-wing headlines.

[FlatAssembler]

No, their results were inconclusive.

In other words, the effect masks have are so small the most rigorous study done to this day failed to detect them.

The author of the study says people should wear masks.

Maybe because they otherwise could not publish their study in the current political climate.

Other studies show the effectiveness of masks, at least where everyone wears them.

And almost none of those studies are randomized control trials, like the Danish study is. In other words, they are far less rigorous.

---

All of this, all of it, Flat - has already been offered up and passed through the gut of americana.  You're getting secondhand disinformation.  None it it helped us - half a million dead.  How much contempt do you think a person or party must have for you to try a repeat?

How is that misinformation? What is it that you doubt? That cotton masks provide only protection from viruses which cannot survive outside of droplets, and that we do not know for certain if COVID-19 is such a virus?

[The Grand Nudger]

The mask isn't for you. It's to slow down community spread.