Why I’m Not
Wearing A Mask By Michael Robertson

https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/why-im-not-wearing-a-mask/

San Diego County health
officials recently ordered that everyone wear face coverings “anywhere in
public when they come within 6 feet of another person” starting May 1, 2020.
I do not plan on complying because the scientific research says it does
not help and may actually harm people.

Mask wearing is ordered in an
earnest attempt to reduce coronavirus infections. It’s explained that donning a
mask means the infected will spread less virus and the uninfected will be less
likely to be infected. Maybe most importantly it will reduce transmission by
those who are infected but do not know it because they are at early infection
stages or simply never show symptoms as happens with about 50% of those
infected.

While
this seems logical, the science says it is false. Wearing masks does not reduce
influenza infection rate according to an examination of 10 studies looking at
this claim. To determine the effectiveness
of a procedure requires a randomized controlled test (RCT). Within a population
some are given the treatment and others not. By comparing the two populations
one can determine if the protocol is effective.

The Center for Disease Control did a pool analysis of 10 RCTs that examined the impact of
face masks on reducing influenza infections within a community. They concluded
that these studies “found no significant reduction in influenza transmission
with the use of face masks.” These studies covered a wide range of environmental
settings from University dorms to households, but the results were the same
across them all.

“There is limited evidence for
their [masks] effectiveness in preventing influenza virus transmission,” they
found. This applied to masks “worn by the infected person for source control OR
when worn by uninfected persons.” They unambiguously concluded that there was
“no significant effect of face masks on transmission of laboratory-confirmed
influenza.”

Since we know that flu viruses
are spread through aspiration, coughing or sneezing, such a result would seem
to defy common sense. However it is explainable when examining more closely how
the flu spreads. It is spread through continuous extended close contact, and
not casual connections.

Research by the National Center for Immunization Research and
Surveillance in Australia shows
that transmission in COVID-19 infected people, even in close contact with
others in a high intensity school environment, is tiny. They arrived at this
conclusion by identifying 18 COVID-19 infected individuals and tracing their
movements from March to Mid-April 2020. Nine infected students and 9 infected staff
across 15 schools were followed. Collectively they had 862 close contacts over
this time period. A “close contact” was defined as face to face contact for 15
minutes or in the same room for a minimum of two hours with an infected person.
Those in close contact were tested via swabs or blood tests. Of the 735
students and 128 staff members who came in close contact with these 18 cases
only 2 infections were identified

With
a transmission rate of only 0.2% in an active social arena such as a school
without masks, it’s easy to see how wearing masks in a casual environment would
not reduce flu infection rates. Specifically since the likelihood of infection
from a brief interaction such as a store is so small masks are
irrelevant. 

It’s reasonable to ask if
there’s possible harm from mask usage. Anyone who has worn one while painting
or construction or any extended period of time knows they quickly become moist
and slimy, which is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.
Pathogens trapped in the mask have ideal conditions to grow exposing the wearer
to an increased risk unless the mask is disposed of after every use or
chemically disinfected.
One study looked at 1607 medical care
workers and found that cloth masks lead to higher respiratory infection rates.
“The rate of influenza-like illness is statistically significantly higher” with
cloth masks they concluded.
Disturbingly, COVID-19 is an influenza-like virus which attacks the respiratory
system, so it’s possible cloth mask wearers may have a higher rate of
contracting COVID-19. They speculate that, “Moisture retention, reuse of
cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of
infection.” 

There’s much we’re learning
about this pandemic, but the best science we have shows that mask wearing will
not reduce transmission because casual contact is not a common source of
transmission. Furthermore the cloth masks that many are resorting to may
actually increase the likelihood of an infection achieving the exact opposite
of the intended result. I call on health officials to look more closely at the
science and withdraw their order for mask wearing because the data says it will
do more harm than good to residents.

(CNN) https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/world/coronavirus-who-masks-recommendation-trnd/index.html

World Health Organization officials
Monday said they still recommend people not wear face masks unless they are sick with Covid-19 or caring for someone who is sick. Masks
may actually increase your coronavirus risk if worn improperly, surgeon general
warns. “Folks who don’t know how to wear
them properly tend to touch their faces a lot and actually can increase the
spread of coronavirus,” Adams said.

“There is no specific evidence to suggest that
the wearing of masks by the mass population has any potential benefit. In fact,
there’s some evidence to suggest the opposite in the misuse of wearing a mask
properly or fitting it properly,” Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the
WHO health emergencies program.

Deborah Birx, M.D., coronavirus response coordinator
for the White House coronavirus task force, said in April that people wearing a
face covering should not be lulled into a false sense of security, and must
keep up with diligent hand-washing, avoid face touching, and stay at least 6
feet away from those they do not live with.  “In the research that’s been done, we don’t
see any benefit at the community level for wearing the mask,” said Amanda
McClelland, M.P.H., a senior vice president at Vital Strategies.

A study published in The BMJ in 2015 found
that healthcare workers using cloth masks were more likely to be infected with
respiratory diseases than those who used disposable surgical masks, even when
workers washed them at the end of each of their shifts. Even manufactured surgical
masks and N95 respirator use can be tricky for people who aren’t trained and
used to them. In fact, healthcare workers must take an annual
test (PDF)
to prove that they can properly fit and seal an N95 mask.

Homemade or purchased mask can be uncomfortable,
leading wearers to adjust them often. Or you might take a mask off to eat or
drink, then put it back on afterward. That defeats the purpose, said McClelland
at Vital Strategies. “People contaminate themselves more by touching the mask
and taking it on and off their face.” 

The surgeon general said that people should wash their hands before donning a mask, and avoid touching their faces while wearing one.  Wash your hands before putting the mask on, then try not to touch the mask. If you do, wash your hands again. Discard the mask as soon as it’s damp. To remove it, handle the elastic around your ears, not the front of the mask, throw it away immediately—either in a closed plastic bag or a bin with a lid—and wash your hands again. Don’t reuse the mask. https://www.consumerreports.org/coronavirus/do-you-need-a-mask-to-prevent-coronavirus/