The best science says masks have no benefit in limiting viral infection - Why are they mandated?

I've already shared this infomation in previous blog posts, that Randomized Control Trials are the so called "gold standard" when it comes to science.  Science is a process, it's not about right or wrong.  Science usually evolves, but with Covid science is going in the other direction, it's devolving.  

The CDC did a pooled analysis of 10 RCTs and determined there was no statiscally significant benefit in infection control of a virus by having people in the community wear masks.  Since then however they've changed their guidance and are now reccomending masks, saying they might help.

Here's the link again and a cut and paste of the relevant info, all bolding is my own. 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article

In our systematic review, we identified 10 RCTs that reported estimates of the effectiveness of face masks in reducing laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infections in the community from literature published during 1946–July 27, 2018. In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.51–1.20; I2 = 30%, p = 0.25)

Why has the advice changed?  Have there been Radmomized Control Trials that have proven a benefit?  No, there has not.  If I am mistaken then please someone share a publication from a reputable source, please no youtube videos of someone claiming to be a doctor, or memes about people peeing in their jeans.  I don't need any more arguments from the scientifically illiterate.  

The highest level of science has spoken, but there is evidence that masks "may" provide a benefit from a lower level of science, experiments that measure droplets and how they disperse.  The problem is that we're going backwards, if what is observed during experiments is true, then it has to be verified in a clinical trial.  That has not happened.  

I realize some will not like this.  Most people think masks work, so anything that contradicts their pre-conceived notion is fake.  But real science isn't a vote, it's about evidence.  Thinking a visual experiment is superior to a RCT is akin to someone sitting on a jury and ignoring eye witness testimony from multiple sources because it contradicts the circumstantial evidence.  

So why then?  Why are governments all over Canada and in other jurisdictions mandating masks now.  In my opinion the reason is fear, fear combined with politics.  In a democracy politicians poll and respond to people's fears.  Lower levels of science suggest masks "might help", so we've gone backwards and are ignoring the highest level of science that says they don't help.  We're keeping the Covidiots happy by going with inferior science because make believe epidemiolgists believe masks work.

Look at the evidence.  McMaster University in Hamilton, a very respected medical school, they looked at over 100 years worth of research on masking and issued a report.  Did they say that masks have a proven benefit in mitigating viral spread?  No, this is a cut and paste of their concluding sentence.  

No direct evidence indicates that public mask wearing protects either the wearer or others.Given the severity of this pandemic and the difficulty of control, we suggest that the possible benefit of a modest reduction in transmission likely outweighs the possibility of harm....

Break that down, we're told there is a possible benefit, maybe in other words, and even then it's only a small or modest benefit.  Where is the proof of this?  Is it from Randomized Control Trials, the gold standard of science?  No, it's from lower level science like experiments on droplets.  And take note that they mention the possibilty of harm.  What harm?  

There's only ever been one randomized trial of cloth masks, from 2015 and published in the peer reviewed British Medical Journal.  This study of health care workers in Viet Nam by an Australian research team found that health care workers wearing cloth masks had a 13 fold increase in respiratory infections over the four week study period.  Their conclusion was that cloth masks should not be worn.  

Yet here we are in Canada mandating that children sit in classrooms all day long sucking air through cloth.  Cloth is a great breeding ground for bacteria, and once that bacteria gets to a critical level kids are going to be inhaling it.  I've already heard of several kids at my son's school falling ill, but it's not on the CBC National news so you can ignore it.....but I can't.  

For the boomer types, don't worry.  If you're just wearing a cloth masks for short durations, I doubt there's much chance of harm to you. Boomers don't care about kids....they stopped caring about them long ago by and large.  Let the snotty nosed brats suck air through cloth for hours on end day after day.  

A drowning man will grab an anchor, fear does that.  Now we're tossing that anchor to our children for something with zero empiracally proven benefit.