Peter Weber -
The office of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) asked the state health department on Nov. 1 to study how mask mandates affected COVID-19 numbers in the state, the health department responded Nov. 3 that its analysis found they saved lives and reduced the spread of the coronavirus, and that analysis wasn't made public until nonprofit news organizations obtained it through a public records request, The New York Times reports.
© Provided by The Week
The Missouri Independent reported Wednesday that the health department's analysis found lower infection and death rates in the four areas of Missouri with mask mandates — St. Louis, St. Louis County, Kansas City, and Jackson County — from the end of April until the end of October, the peak of Missouri's Delta wave.
There are a number of variables that affect infection and death numbers, but "I think we can say with great confidence reviewing the public health literature and then looking at the results in your study that communities where masks were required had a lower positivity rate per 100,000 and experienced lower death rates," state Health Department director Donald Kauerauf told Parson in a Nov. 3 email obtained by the Independent.
The Independent's analysis found that the "masked" areas had 15.8 new COVID-19 cases a day for every 100,000 residents, versus 21.7 cases per 100,000 residents in the areas with no mask mandates, and less frequent deaths.
Parson responded to the Independent's report by attacking the reporter, calling the article "purposefully misleading," and suggesting Kauerauf also opposes mask mandates. "The governor's statement did not explain why his office chose not to publish the analysis it had requested," the Times notes.
Kauerauf hasn't publicly commented on the report, but in his first remarks as state health director in September, he said from "everything I've read, everything I've seen: masks work." A global study published Nov. 18 in the British Medical Journal found that mask-wearing reduces COVID-19 incidence by 53 percent, making it the single most effective public health measure.
St. Louis and St. Louis County still have mask mandates in place, but Kansas City and Jackson County ended theirs in early November. "In Missouri, new cases have risen from a daily average of about 1,000 in early November to more than 2,000 this month, and hospitalizations are up 32 percent over the past 14 days," the Times reports. "More than 15,540 people have died from COVID-19 in Missouri."
The office of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) asked the state health department on Nov. 1 to study how mask mandates affected COVID-19 numbers in the state, the health department responded Nov. 3 that its analysis found they saved lives and reduced the spread of the coronavirus, and that analysis wasn't made public until nonprofit news organizations obtained it through a public records request, The New York Times reports.
© Provided by The Week
The Missouri Independent reported Wednesday that the health department's analysis found lower infection and death rates in the four areas of Missouri with mask mandates — St. Louis, St. Louis County, Kansas City, and Jackson County — from the end of April until the end of October, the peak of Missouri's Delta wave.
There are a number of variables that affect infection and death numbers, but "I think we can say with great confidence reviewing the public health literature and then looking at the results in your study that communities where masks were required had a lower positivity rate per 100,000 and experienced lower death rates," state Health Department director Donald Kauerauf told Parson in a Nov. 3 email obtained by the Independent.
The Independent's analysis found that the "masked" areas had 15.8 new COVID-19 cases a day for every 100,000 residents, versus 21.7 cases per 100,000 residents in the areas with no mask mandates, and less frequent deaths.
Parson responded to the Independent's report by attacking the reporter, calling the article "purposefully misleading," and suggesting Kauerauf also opposes mask mandates. "The governor's statement did not explain why his office chose not to publish the analysis it had requested," the Times notes.
Kauerauf hasn't publicly commented on the report, but in his first remarks as state health director in September, he said from "everything I've read, everything I've seen: masks work." A global study published Nov. 18 in the British Medical Journal found that mask-wearing reduces COVID-19 incidence by 53 percent, making it the single most effective public health measure.
St. Louis and St. Louis County still have mask mandates in place, but Kansas City and Jackson County ended theirs in early November. "In Missouri, new cases have risen from a daily average of about 1,000 in early November to more than 2,000 this month, and hospitalizations are up 32 percent over the past 14 days," the Times reports. "More than 15,540 people have died from COVID-19 in Missouri."
Missouri Governor Mike Parson Commissioned, Then Hid, a Study Showing Mask Mandates Save Lives
Vivian Kane - 4h ago
The Mary Sue
After spending the entire COVID-19 pandemic refusing to implement a statewide mask mandate (and actively fighting cities and counties that did), Missouri Governor Mike Parson reportedly commissioned a study to look into whether mandates actually helped save lives and reduce the spread of COVID-19. And when that study came back showing that yes, they do, the governor buried it.
The study of mask mandates was conducted in early November by the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services at the request of the governor, according to reporting from the Missouri Independent. But after the analysis came in, the results were not made public or even apparently shared internally, as they were “kept out of material the department prepared for cabinet meetings.” The study was only obtained by the newspaper and the Documenting COVID-19 Project through a Sunshine Law request.
In an email that was forwarded to Parson, state health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote that while there are a lot of variables that need to be considered, it seems clear that mask mandates do have a big effect on COVID-19 cases and deaths.
“I think we can say with great confidence reviewing the public health literature and then looking at the results in your study that communities where masks were required had a lower positivity rate per 100,000 and experienced lower death rates,” Kauerauf wrote.
The analysis contained graphs showing the difference in cases as well as in death rates between areas where masks were required and areas where they were not. As this annotated version from the Documenting COVID-19 project shows, the results seem pretty clear:
When some Missouri cities reinstated their mask mandates earlier this summer, Parson tweeted that doing so was "WRONG." His attorney general Eric Schmitt went further and filed a lawsuit against cities requiring masks. Parson has argued that mask mandates "infringe on our personal liberties" and he's said, "The vaccine is how we rid ourselves of COVID-19, not mask mandates that ignore common sense."
Except Missouri ranks among the lowest vaccination rates in the country, likely thanks in no small part to Parson's role in politicizing the pandemic. And with so many people unvaccinated, the state has continued to see spikes in cases and deaths, leading counties to have to reinstate their mask mandates—which Parson then condemns, further perpetuating that politicization.
St. Louis and St. Louis County still have a mask mandate in place but Kansas City and the surrounding Jackson County ended their mandate early last month. According to the New York Times, "In Missouri, new cases have risen from a daily average of about 1,000 in early November to more than 2,000 this month, and hospitalizations are up 32 percent over the past 14 days."
It's not clear what result Parson was hoping to get from the mask mandate study or why he chose to bury these results. He denied deliberately hiding the analysis, which he received a full month ago, but did not give an explanation for his failure to release the information, nor (not that anyone would ever expect this) an apology for the entirely preventable rise in cases and deaths since he received it.
(via Missouri Independent, image: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
The post Missouri Governor Mike Parson Commissioned, Then Hid, a Study Showing Mask Mandates Save Lives first appeared on The Mary Sue.
Vivian Kane - 4h ago
The Mary Sue
After spending the entire COVID-19 pandemic refusing to implement a statewide mask mandate (and actively fighting cities and counties that did), Missouri Governor Mike Parson reportedly commissioned a study to look into whether mandates actually helped save lives and reduce the spread of COVID-19. And when that study came back showing that yes, they do, the governor buried it.
The study of mask mandates was conducted in early November by the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services at the request of the governor, according to reporting from the Missouri Independent. But after the analysis came in, the results were not made public or even apparently shared internally, as they were “kept out of material the department prepared for cabinet meetings.” The study was only obtained by the newspaper and the Documenting COVID-19 Project through a Sunshine Law request.
In an email that was forwarded to Parson, state health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote that while there are a lot of variables that need to be considered, it seems clear that mask mandates do have a big effect on COVID-19 cases and deaths.
“I think we can say with great confidence reviewing the public health literature and then looking at the results in your study that communities where masks were required had a lower positivity rate per 100,000 and experienced lower death rates,” Kauerauf wrote.
The analysis contained graphs showing the difference in cases as well as in death rates between areas where masks were required and areas where they were not. As this annotated version from the Documenting COVID-19 project shows, the results seem pretty clear:
When some Missouri cities reinstated their mask mandates earlier this summer, Parson tweeted that doing so was "WRONG." His attorney general Eric Schmitt went further and filed a lawsuit against cities requiring masks. Parson has argued that mask mandates "infringe on our personal liberties" and he's said, "The vaccine is how we rid ourselves of COVID-19, not mask mandates that ignore common sense."
Except Missouri ranks among the lowest vaccination rates in the country, likely thanks in no small part to Parson's role in politicizing the pandemic. And with so many people unvaccinated, the state has continued to see spikes in cases and deaths, leading counties to have to reinstate their mask mandates—which Parson then condemns, further perpetuating that politicization.
St. Louis and St. Louis County still have a mask mandate in place but Kansas City and the surrounding Jackson County ended their mandate early last month. According to the New York Times, "In Missouri, new cases have risen from a daily average of about 1,000 in early November to more than 2,000 this month, and hospitalizations are up 32 percent over the past 14 days."
It's not clear what result Parson was hoping to get from the mask mandate study or why he chose to bury these results. He denied deliberately hiding the analysis, which he received a full month ago, but did not give an explanation for his failure to release the information, nor (not that anyone would ever expect this) an apology for the entirely preventable rise in cases and deaths since he received it.
(via Missouri Independent, image: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
The post Missouri Governor Mike Parson Commissioned, Then Hid, a Study Showing Mask Mandates Save Lives first appeared on The Mary Sue.
No comments:
Post a Comment