The silly outdoor mask controversy

Laura Wagner’s “everyone on all sides chill out” response to the stream of articles about how outdoor mask wearing is just “virtue signalling” of whatever strikes me as correct. Two things are simultaneously true:

• I don’t see any problem with the TNR article much of my timeline was losing its shit over. It was an even-handed presentation of the evidence — including specifying the narrow but real cases where outdoor mask wearing has real benefits and should be required — and focused on policymakers rather than the choices of individuals. Banning safe outdoor activities is not merely pointless but counterproductive and it’s worth pointing that out.
• If people want to wear masks outdoors, even in circumstances were they don’t plan to talk to people in close proximity and can social distance and/or even after they’re fully vaccinated, it’s perfectly fine. People choosing not getting vaccinated is a real problem. People not wearing masks indoors is a real problem. People wearing masks outdoors for whatever reason even when the transmission risk is virtually zero is not an actual problem, don’t give a moment’s thought to it.