If Science is the Jury, Masks’ Days Are Over

by John Anthony, Sustainable Freedom Lab, ©2022 

(Feb. 23, 2021) — The practice of mask-wearing has become contagious among many even though there is no data proving masks safely and effectively reduce viral transmission.

While the CDC claims “the benefits of wearing masks are well-established,” the statement is provably false.

More than 150 studies prove masks are ineffective and many show harms especially to children. (Here)

If that is unconvincing, researchers who only wanted the truth spent over 500 hours researching masks to discover they have almost no benefit. (Here)

There are many reasons why people believe masks work

Despite the evidence masks do little or nothing to stop viral spread, many believe in their benefit. For example, Pres. Biden’s mask mandate on airlines is scheduled to end March 18 and some flight attendants are worried for their health and their passengers’. (Here)

There are several reasons why the myth continues.

• Pop articles like this warn, “For right now, the worst thing you can do is leave your home without a mask.” (Here)
• This former US Surgeon General says wearing masks is only “common sense.” (Here)
• Part of the problem is the CDC themselves. The agency has gone so far as to use poorly conducted studies in a weak attempt to prove masks work. (Here)
• A recent Bangladesh study was touted as proof masks reduced the spread. But the researchers initially failed to release the raw data. When it finally was released, it showed just 20 people out of 340,000 studied found any benefit from the masks. (Here)
• Meanwhile, the President encourages mask dependence by promising to distribute 400,000,000 free N-95 masks. (Here)

Past studies agree masks have no effect on viral transmission

But even the CDC’s own studies agree masks were not effective. (Here and here.)

The WHO recognizes the importance of weighing risks versus rewards when asking children or adults to wear masks. This is from the WHO own website on masks I children. Advice on the use of masks for children in the community in the context of COVID-19.  (Here)

“Several studies found that factors such as warmth, irritation, breathing difficulties, discomfort, distraction, low social acceptability and poor mask fit were reported by children when using masks. So far, the effectiveness and impact of masks for children during play and physical activity have not been studied; however, a study in adults found that N-95 respirator and surgical masks reduced cardiopulmonary capacity during heavy exertion.”

N-95/FFP2 masks

Bavaria was one of the first states to mandate use of N-95 masks. Their own studies show there was no difference in viral spread between those states using N-95 masks and those using cloth masks. As the study indicates, neither the cloth masks and N95 masks were an effective intervention.  (Here)

See the graphs and read the rest here.