striker42
Well-known member
But it would have been worse!!!
[Tw]1440400606330380300[/tw]
This is much better data than you usually quote as it controls for geographic differences and so is a much better example. However, it still has issues. Geographic similarities does not equal population similarities. For example, Orange County residents earn 20% more than LA County residents. Statisticians have established a correlation between poverty and infection rates. The poorer an area is, the higher the rates of infection. I'd like to see these numbers controlled for income differences.
There's another problem with the data in that these counties are next door to one another and people ignore county lines. If you pick up COVID at your job in Orange County and go back home to LA County, you'll be counted in LA County's statistics.
However, I actually agree that mask mandates are largely useless as they're very, very difficult to enforce. They're more aspirational than enforceable.
The conclusion that is not supported by this data at all is whether mask wearing is effective and to what extent. It doesn't speak to rates of mask wearing. I actually would wager that the mask wearing rates of these two counties aren't that different due to the fact that mask mandates are so difficult to enforce. It wouldn't surprise me if rates of wearing masks was lower in LA County due to a backlash against being forced to wear one.