Every time I give this opinion I’m labeled as an a to science/anti vaxxer. Hopefully this context will help: I have virus induced asthma where even a simple cold can have me gasping for breath. I took every precaution imaginable before the vaccines were available, stayed home, got groceries delivered, masked up when I did have to go somewhere, asked my wife to retire from working in the school system as a special needs bus driver, etc. I got in early when the J and J vaccine was available and I got an mRNA booster before it was recommended in the US when I saw other countries health departments recommended.

But let’s not pretend that many of the precautions and policies weren’t performative. Mask mandates were always dumb. Most people didn’t wear effective masks and many didn’t cover their noses. You had to wear a mask on airlines long after the vaccines were available and everyone took them off at the same time to eat or drink.

The US government down played that immunity wore off within six months and that the vaccine was much less effective than they publicized at first even when there were credible studies and evidence from other countries health departments and domestically.

Again, I have every recommended vaccine imaginable. I get a flu shot every year and Covid shots at the recommended times

> But let’s not pretend that many of the precautions and policies weren’t performative. Mask mandates were always dumb. Most people didn’t wear effective masks and many didn’t cover their noses.

We have specific evidence that not masking and not distancing caused superspreader events. Before there were too many cases, contact tracing backwards showed that specific parties, weddings, etc. were responsible for accelerating the early spread above baseline.

Thus, the burden of proof is on the "anti-mask, anti-distancing" people to prove that they aren't worse than the alternative--doubly so given the post hoc analyses available due to Norway and Sweden.