Comment by PeterStuer | Hacker News Reader

Comment by PeterStuer | Hacker News Reader

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The problem is the scientific community did not immediately denounce those scientists that clearly were putting policy before science.

It wasn't just the masks saga. Anyone with basic comprehension of physics and particle data can see how and why masks work, so Don't try to fool the public by lying and don't sit by when some colleagues are basically destroying the whole of the scientific community's credibility just to appease some political interests.

Same for 'social distancing' in enclosed spaces. If you let that sort of nonsense stand, how can you not realize you are just throwing the whole of the scientific trust under the bus?

And now the latest one: 'Children do not transmit the virus' just because some political parties want to reopen schools ASAP?

Just stick to the science, and leave the politics to the politicians.

As I said here back in March, the damage done to scientific credibility is the most saddening collateral in all of this. There wil always be some persons willing to do someone's dirty laundry for fame, gain or even just because they genuinly believed it all 'white lies' for the best of intentions. The huge failure of the scientific community was not calling them out.

> The problem is the scientific community did not immediately denounce those scientists that clearly were putting policy before science.

Who said this though? This seems like a caricature. All I remember is a bunch of confusing messaging from the WHO and a bunch of tut-tutting from experts warning people not to hoard or stockpile PPE that was needed more pressingly by health care workers.

Can you be specific about who said what, and when, that "destroyed the whole of the scientific community's credibility"? I just don't see it. In my world by late march everyone was wearing homespun masks form Etsy...

What is your evidence that children actually do transmit the virus efficiently?

I have seen multiple independent studies from different countries coming down with a very similar conclusion that children are not good vectors for this thing to spread.

> What is your evidence that children actually do transmit the virus efficiently?

OP's point is about if children transmit the virus. Either they do or don't.

But your question is about the efficiency of how children transmit the virus. It's an entirely different question although your personal choice of weasel words makes it look differently.

It makes no sense to waste time talking about efficiency if you're talking about a known virus transmission vector.

By that measure masks do not work since N95 allows a certain level of particles to transit. Perfection is not necessary, only reducing the replication factor.

> By that measure masks do not work

That's a stupid remark. N95 are used mainly to reduce the emission of our own droplets, not to eliminate it nor to make us invulnerable.

Still, the recommended approach is still to stay at home and avoid contact altogether. As it's obvious to anyone, no exposure is far better than some exposure.

Fair point.

Please now explain how reopening the schools will reduce the replication factor.

Science is science and policy is policy. In the end, if you want science to be useful, you have to recommend a policy, and scientists can do that, too. You just have to be clear on what is scientific results and what is policy recommendations based on said results.

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