As we send off 2023, we’re releasing a series of some of our favorite episodes of the year—including some newly unlocked episodes that have previously only been available to patrons. This episode was originally released for Death Panel patrons on October 30th, 2023, and is being unlocked today for the first time. To support the show and help make episodes like this one possible, become a patron at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod. Original description: Beatrice and Abby speak with epidemiologist Ellie Murray about how the many arguments against masking tend to repeat the same set of misunderstandings about how population health works and who health interventions are for. We also discuss why universal masking is so effective, the issues with dropping mask mandates in healthcare settings in particular, and how dynamics within the field of public health left space open for the social production of the ‘end’ of the pandemic. Find Ellie's study "Lifting Universal Masking in Schools — Covid-19 Incidence among Students and Staff" here: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2211029 Find our book Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Pre-order Jules' new book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/733966/a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny-by-jules-gill-peterson/ Death Panel merch here (patrons get a discount code): www.deathpanel.net/merch As always, support Death Panel at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod