Still escaping the main stream media

Distortions based on firmly held beliefs: the future obituary of science?

The Cochrane review Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses continues to attract media attention. We have listed our reasons for not wanting to have anything to do with vast swathes of the media.

We know our long-time readers do not need any further evidence, but for those hundreds who have just joined us, here is some more evidence, fresh off the press, well, the email feed.

One of the co-authors of the Cochrane review received the following request from a very senior person in a big news corporation in a very rich country (the XXX stands for our redactions):

“I'm emailing to you today, because I read your excellent paper "Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses" on Cochrane Library Systematic Review.

You have analyzed the effectiveness of masks in preventing infection in this p…