“If the wearing of masks was capable of almost entirely removing influenza from circulation, as has been observed, then this approach would also eliminate SARS-CoV-2.”
This guy is wrong if he is claiming that NPI cannot be responsible for a reduction (even a very large one) in influenza cases this season. His argument about viral size is downright silly and comparable to the “if it can’t stop a fart” arguments. Wearing masks and social distancing do not prevent infection, but they do reduce viral transmissibility, whether the virus is influenza or coronavirus or adenoviruses. Since SARS-CoV2 is much more infectious and deadly than the flu, it should not be surprising that measures that reduce COVID show up much more for a virus that is much less virulent. Also, and this is only anecdotal, I know of two people who have had COVID and influenza at the same time. This causes me to wonder whether there could be cases like that where patients test positive and are treated for COVID who might also have had the flu but were not even tested for it because COVID is the prime concern.
But regardless, the “competitive or cooperative forms of pathogen–pathogen interactions” also could be occurring. Just based on other biological phenomena, it would be surprising if they were not occurring. However, even if they are, masking and social distancing clearly reduce the number of infections. If not, I guess we have all been lied to for decades when told to cover our coughs and sneezes to help prevent the spread of colds and flu.
