When 'science' conflicts with reality, it's high time to flip the scientists the birdie, at least in that instance. I'm sure the AMA has oodles of BS research studies that 'prove' antibiotics have no effect on the flu. I'm sure all that 'evidence' is quite enough to convince clueless youngsters of 'The Science'. That don't mean squat to oldsters, that have had the flu over a hundred times in the last thirty years, and up until about ten years ago, always got antibiotics. We know from direct experience that with antibiotics, the flu is gone in three days, and without them the flu always persists for ten to thirty days. We don't need a whitecoat to squat out a flawed (or outright faked) research paper, warp statistics, or desperately try to spin doctor reality to know what to believe. When what the AMA, CDC, Fauci, or a hundred so-called scientists say does not conform to reality...I'll pick reality. Now when it comes to 'climate change', pole-shift, or something where reality has failed to provide a clear directive, it's wait and see time, but in cases where things are obvious, I'll gamble on that! Why do I claim masks work? Because it has been proven by direct experience. For over ten+ years I was getting the flu 3 to 5 times a year. Three years ago I started wearing a 3M **surgical** mask. The first year I got the flu twice (probably because the bank security guard made me remove it to get inside). For the two+ years thereafter, I got the flu ZERO times. It has now been over two years as of June, with ZERO occurrence of flu, nor even the common cold, and FYI, this year I skipped the flu shot to insure the sole prophylactic was the mask. Idiots (and the whitecoats they worship) can spin this at lightspeed as they please. I'll still pick reality and direct experience over the twaddle of 'experts', whether they be leftist or conservative.