NC Renegades

I see war. The latest shot is a biological assault. If you are in a war and have the ability to wear plates, you would be a fool not to give yourself the added protection. In a biological war, you must use the same logic to win. Imagine going to fight a war with a rifle but you refuse to take ammunition. You obviously will lose and impact the integrity of your fellow soldiers. People who are stating that masks are a symbol of oppression, Communism or harmful to your health are useful idiots.

People say that they support the 2nd Amendment meaning the right to bear and buy arms. The other side knows that their victory will be quicker with the limitation or removal of our right to defend ourselves. Firearms are the guarantee of freedom against government. So extend the logic: initiate a biological war and limit the ability of people to defend themselves. No masks, no preventative care, no information concerning the “invisible enemy”.

And the icing on the cake: use propaganda to convince people that masks are not useful.

David DeGerolamo

May 23, 2020

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is reporting the state’s highest one-day number of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1,107 cases reported. 
 
“This is a notable and concerning increase. As we head into a holiday weekend, please practice the three Ws – wear a face covering, wait six feet apart, and wash your hands frequently. When it comes to our health, we need to work together to protect our families, friends and neighbors,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen. 
 
In addition, ten percent of total tests were positive among labs that report both negative and positive tests into the state electronic reporting system.

Source

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Some outlets are linking this increase to the partial re-opening of the state. Keep in mind that these tests were done prior to the re-opening.

David DeGerolamo

If we have a hot civil war in the future, our side will win. If we have a biological civil war, our side will lose. This is my opinion. I know many will disagree.

I continue to receive emails concerning the use of masks and how they are ineffective. People continue to argue for their ignorance. Here are some examples:

The use of mask and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: A systematic review of the scientific evidence

A former neurosurgeon wrote an op-ed published Thursday warning that face masks are not only ineffective against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but they can be potentially dangerous in some circumstances.

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This article had no linked scientific studies within the article so I went to the first reference: 1. bin-Reza F et al. The use of mask and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: A systematic review of the scientific evidence. Resp Viruses 2012;6(4):257-67.:

Here is part of the Abstract:

Eight of nine retrospective observational studies found that mask and/or respirator use was independently associated with a reduced risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Findings, however, may not be applicable to influenza and many studies were suboptimal. None of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection. Some evidence suggests that mask use is best undertaken as part of a package of personal protection especially hand hygiene. The effectiveness of masks and respirators is likely linked to early, consistent and correct usage.

There were no conclusions to this reference and as noted above the studies were observational. No controls. No testing parameters. No p-value. But this was used as a reference to support a false statement concerning masks.

Here is another emailed article:

Masks: Are There Benefits or Just a Comfort Prop? Let the Facts Speak, by Jennifer Giustra-Kozek

In  Epidemics 2017, a meta-analysis concluded that masks had a non-significant protective effect. In the Annuals of Internal Medicine, April 2020, “neither surgical nor cotton masks effectively filtered SARS-CoV-2 during coughs by affected people.”

According to a  University of New South Wales, the widespread use of masks by healthcare workers may put them at increased risk of respiratory illness and viral infections, and their global use should be discouraged.

…

Let’s link at the above links:

Epidemics 2017 article:

However, PPMs such as respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene and the use of facemasks are inexpensive and easy to implement, and are commonly recommended and undertaken during influenza outbreaks (Aledort et al., 2007, Aiello et al., 2010a, van der Weerd et al., 2011).

One reported that the incidence and proportion of school absence associated with pandemic influenza decreased in schools where a hand sanitizer intervention was implemented (Azor-Martinez et al., 2014), while the other found that hand hygiene in conjunction with facemask use reduced risk of secondary influenza infection (OR = 0.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07–0.93) (Suess et al., 2012). 

3.4. Facemask use:

If the randomized control trial and cohort study were pooled with the case–control studies, heterogeneity decreased and a significant protective effect was found.

4. Discussion

Analyses of hand hygiene found significant protective effects associated with frequent hand-washing and hand-washing after contact with an index patient or a contaminated surface. These results compare favourably to the results of a systematic review of RCTs evaluating hand hygiene effectiveness during seasonal influenza epidemics, which found a significant protective effect associated with a combination of hand hygiene and facemask use, but no significant effect of hand hygiene alone in preventing influenza infection (Wong et al., 2014). 

…

Given the questionable effectiveness of respiratory etiquette, mask use and hand hygiene should form the foundation of protective behavior. 

From the Annals of Internal Medicine link in the article:

Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton Masks in Blocking SARS–CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients

Background: 

However, the SARS–CoV-2 pandemic has contributed to shortages of both N95 and surgical masks, and cotton masks have gained interest as a substitute.

A previous study reported that surgical masks and N95 masks were equally effective in preventing the dissemination of influenza virus, so surgical masks might help prevent transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV-2). However, the SARS–CoV-2 pandemic has contributed to shortages of both N95 and surgical masks, and cotton masks have gained interest as a substitute.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical and cotton masks in filtering SARS–CoV-2.

…

This study is only concerned with cotton masks, not N95 (or higher) or even surgical masks. Let me repeat this statement from the above article: A previous study reported that surgical masks and N95 masks were equally effective in preventing the dissemination of influenza virus, so surgical masks might help prevent transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV-2).

If you actually read the links, you will see that there is a difference between the influenza virus and the SAR-CoV-2 virus for transmission BUT masks are effective in the contraction and dissemination of HB-19.

University of New South Wales link:

Cloth masks—dangerous to your health?

Professor Raina MacIntyre, lead study author and head of UNSW’s School of Public Health and Community Medicine, said the results of the study caution against the use of cloth masks.

“Masks are worn to protect from infection during pandemics and outbreaks, especially when there are no drugs or vaccines available for protection,” Professor MacIntyre said.

“Masks are especially important for frontline doctors and nurses, as their protection from infection is key to maintaining the ability to tackle a pandemic effectively.

“Cloth masks should not be used by workers in any healthcare setting, but particularly high-risk situations such as emergency departments, intensive care, paediatric or respiratory wards.”

…

Again, the authors use misdirection by not specifying the type of mask. I would not wear a cotton mask. I would not wear an N95 mask unless it was a low risk environment, a method to get infected with a low inoculum or it was the only available option.

David DeGerolamo

UPDATE: When I said the masks have all come down, I was referring to those that the statists and leftists wear to camouflage themselves. I believe a mask as a biological protectant is a reasonable accompaniment to human interaction for the time being, remaining cognizant of their uses and limitations. A mask, like handwashing and hand sanitizer, like chemo protective agents (hydroxychloroquine?) DO NOT BULLETPROOF YOU. My wife wears a mask to protect herself, I wear a mask to protect myself and my patients.

The next election is evolving into a referendum on managerial expertise. A choice between sterile safety secured by expert rule, or common sense and freedom. As a physician, I have respect and reverence for what science can accomplish, but always respect the balance it has with the “art” of the everyday, boots-on-the-ground practice of my craft.

The great problem in the scientific realm, speaking as, I suppose, an “applied” scientist, much like an engineer, is discerning the research, doctrine and dogma that is valid from that which is often wrong, deceptive, and even harmful. Just for kicks, search “peer-reviewed scientific papers withdrawn”. Get some popcorn and keep digging. The sheer number and the “respected” institutions involved is staggering.

Science, like every realm of life, is full of con artists, pretenders and flat-out liars. I tried bench science in the lab at MD Anderson; had some interesting, provocative findings that I could have parlayed into an academic career on the government grant teat, that MAYBE would have meant something. We spend a LOT of money on MAYBE in research. We spend a LOT of money in good stuff, too, though.

This “crisis” (media tip: inflammatory terminology gets views, hits and attention) has seen more decisions and disruptions based upon scant information, unknowns and maybes than I believe we have ever seen in history. I was among the early supporters of a brief shutdown; we faced an unknown quantity with reportedly severe population-wide consequences and it was obvious from the beginning that China and the WHO lied and obfuscated (POTUS proposed reestablishing our support for the WHO at 10% of the previous amount, equal to China’s….read that again and digest it).

As physicians, when confronted with such, we plan for the worst and walk it back once we learn more. It was obvious early on that this disease is severe in a small fraction of those infected, especially in certain subgroups, and we shouldn’t take it lightly. I’ve not stopped operating through this entire series of events. For a month or so I was at about 40-50% of my capacity…people continue contracting the same illnesses: cancer, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, appendicitis, etc, that they normally do and for some reason we were told to pretend they didn’t.

Balderdash. Utter rubbish. Resistance to “walking it back” and reopening has been stiff, as a lot of petty tyrants have enjoyed the control and ideologues on the left side of the spectrum see opportunity. The media loves it as they have fodder for endless palaver and rumination to fill the 24-hour news cycle, something else with which to criticize and bludgeon POTUS, and a means to demonstrate their slavish devotion to the communists, err…excuse me, Democrats.

We have physicians in my state, Mississippi, a consistently reliable political “red” part of the map (funny how the right became “red”, isn’t it? Ponder that.), calling for those of us in support of reopening and easing restrictions to have our licenses to practice medicine sanctioned and revoked. To them I say “bring it”. Let’s play ball and see who wins. BFYTW.

Ley’s Law Number Three is “People are stupid and they will try to kill you”. I developed this when teaching my oldest daughter, now 35, to drive. It certainly has contemporary application.

I fear that this will not end well. Stay frosty, my friends.

Dr. Ley