Just compared that viral CDC article about mask effectiveness to the actual study

The article claimed masks stopped 95% of particles but the original study only tested in perfect lab conditions with N95s, not cloth masks in real life. Has anyone else found the source they cite is way weaker than the headline suggests?

3 comments

3 Comments

xena58213d ago

Not sure this is as big a deal as people make it. Lab tests are basically the first step, not the final word on anything. The real question is why headlines always stretch the truth instead of just saying what the study actually found.

emery1012d ago

Heard that. Lab tests are basically a "does this blow up in our faces" check. People act like one petri dish result changes everything. Totally with you on the headline thing. Saw a study last month about mice and brain stuff. Headline screamed "CURE FOUND!" but the actual paper said "maybe we can study this more in 5 years." Clickbait is just easier than accuracy I guess. Drives me nuts.

mark_chen6213d ago

Wait, wouldn't the whole point of a lab test be to see if the concept actually works before you try it in real life... kind of like how crash tests don't happen on actual highways?