Professional Documents
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28 DECEMBER 2020
Working report (not submitted for
journal publication), published at
ResearchGate
Summary
On 18 November 2020, Bundgaard et al. At this stage, some fifteen (15) policy-
[30] published their large randomized grade RCTs later, with verified outcomes,
controlled trial (RCT) of participants one has to wonder what it would take for
selected from the general Danish the public health complex to abandon its
population. In their words [30]: new-found enthusiasm for forced
A total of 3030 participants were general-population masking, or at least
randomly assigned to the to fund research on the distributed
recommendation to wear masks,
and 2994 were assigned to harms and societal costs of this
control; 4862 completed the draconian policy.
study. Infection with SARS-CoV-2
occurred in 42 participants
Studies on the quantifiable and potential
recommended masks (1.8%) and
53 control participants (2.1%). The harms of universal masking are
between-group difference was beginning to be published, both in
−0.3 percentage point (95% CI, regular and alternative medical journals.
−1.2 to 0.4 percentage point; P =
0.38) (odds ratio, 0.82 [CI, 0.54 to If the “precautionary principle” was more
1.23]; P = 0.33). Multiple than spin, then such studies would have
imputation accounting for loss to been required prior to general-
follow-up yielded similar results. population masking laws and
Although the difference
observed was not statistically impositions.
significant, the 95% CIs are
compatible with a 46% On 6 July 2020, for example, Fikenzer et
reduction to a 23% increase in
infection. (Abstract / Results) al. [31] published a rigorous study on the
[…] a recommendation to wear a physiological effect of masks on 12
surgical mask when outside the healthy males (age 38 ± 6 years). They
home among others did not concluded [31]:
reduce, at conventional levels of
statistical significance, incident Medical face masks have a
SARS-CoV-2 infection compared marked negative impact on
with no mask recommendation. cardiopulmonary capacity that
[…] The face masks provided to significantly impairs strenuous
participants were high-quality physical and occupational
surgical masks with a filtration activities. In addition, medical
rate of 98% ref]. (Discussion) masks significantly impair the
quality of life of their wearer.
These effects have to be
To be clear, “95% CIs are compatible with considered versus the potential
a 46% reduction to a 23% increase in protective effects of face masks
infection” means that, within the bounds on viral transmissions. The
quantitative data of this study
of uncertainty, wearing a mask could may, therefore, inform medical
have increased the likelihood of being recommendations and policy
infected by 23%. Such is the nature of makers.
relative risk evaluation, when the
i. Regarding environmental
nanoparticles. Viral respiratory
diseases are transmitted by the
smallest size-fraction of virion-laden
aerosol particles, which are reactive
environmental nanoparticles.
Denis G. Rancourt, PhD
Therefore, the chemical and physical
Researcher, Ontario Civil Liberties
stabilities and transport properties of
Association (ocla.ca)
these aerosol particles are the
Member scientist, PANDA
foundation of the dominant
contagion mechanism through air.
I am retired and a former tenured Full
My extensive work on reactive
Professor of Physics, University of Ottawa.
environmental nanoparticles is
Full Professor is the highest academic
internationally recognized, and
rank. During my 23-year career as a
includes: precipitation and growth,
university professor, I developed new
surface reactivity, agglomeration,
courses and taught over 2000 university
surface charging, phase
students, at all levels, and in three
transformation, settling and
different faculties (Science, Engineering,
sedimentation, and reactive
Arts). I supervised more than 80 junior
dissolution. In addition, I have taught
research terms or degrees at all levels
the relevant fluid dynamics (air is a
from post-doctoral fellow to graduate
compressible fluid), and gravitational
students to NSERC undergraduate
settling at the university level, and I
researchers. I headed an internationally
have done industrial-application
recognized interdisciplinary research
research on the technology of
laboratory, and attracted significant
filtration (face masks are filters).
research funding for two decades.
ii. Regarding molecular science,
molecular dynamics, and surface
I have been an invited plenary, keynote,
complexation. I am an expert in
or special session speaker at major
molecular structures, reactions, and
scientific conferences some 40 times. I
dynamics, including molecular
have published over 100 research papers
complexation to biotic and abiotic
in leading peer-reviewed scientific
surfaces. These processes are the basis
journals, in the areas of physics,
of viral attachment, antigen
chemistry, geology, bio-geochemistry,
attachment, molecular replication,
measurement science, soil science, and
attachment to mask fibers, particle
environmental science.
charging, loss and growth in aerosol
particles, and all such phenomena
My scientific h-index impact factor is 40,
involved in viral transmission and
and my articles have been cited more
infection, and in protection measures.
than 5,000 times in peer-reviewed
I taught quantum mechanics at the
scientific journals (profile at Google
advanced university level for many
Scholar:
years, which is the fundamental
https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=1
theory of atoms, molecules and
ChsRsQAAAAJ).
substances; and in my published