I’ve already written a lot about Sweden showing us that a lack of masks and lockdowns doesn’t worsen the outbreak, but until the past few weeks there were countries with strong lockdowns and mask rules that were performing well. While they were all in East Asia (and this probably have some immunity to viruses originating there), this was the hardest data to deal with when hypothesizing that masks and lockdowns don’t work.

As it turns out, even in Japan, which has some of the most widespread make use in the world, and which has had a harsher and longer lockdown than most of the world, the pandemic has broke out again.

I am now convinced it is hubris and a belief in magic that inspires faith in such treatments.