Thread by @Balacla27914533

1/@fordnation @celliottability @epdevilla @VeraEtches
Now that schools are open, it's time to start talking about ending mandatory mask mandates, particularly in schools.
@Roman_Baber @mamasaurusMeg @KristenMeghan @ColleenHuberNMD

2/In March, C19 talking heads like Fauci, Tam, etc publicly (and correctly) stated that NM masks were ineffective at preventing the spread of ILIs outside of controlled settings, and could make matters worse with contamination/poor hygiene habits.

https://twitter.com/discrace2000/status/1355522336712253440

3/Later, mandates were successfully pushed by well-connected lobbyists associated with the ZeroCovid movement who were given an unopposed platform in the MSM. An end to lockdowns and massive case reductions were promised "if only 80% of people wore a mask"

https://twitter.com/Balacla27914533/status/1338724247657713665

4/Despite cases/deaths/hospitalizations plummeting due to seasonality, most western gov'ts proceeded with enacting a cascade of mask mandates over the summer. The media pushed the notion of "emerging science" showing masks to be effective. vox.com/future-perfect…

5/Along with the @jeremyphoward paper which used flawed modeling and interpreted virus seasonality as having been a product of mask effectiveness, most of the studies cited were observational, non-peer review, non RCT, such as the famous hairdresser story.
cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/6…

6/Other small scale, observational events that showed that masks may not work were ignored.
cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspecti…

7/There were also the laboratory mannequin tests which incorrectly modelled real world conditions.
msphere.asm.org/content/5/5/e0…

8/I'll just leave this here

https://twitter.com/ProKlausSchwab/status/1350507233709330433

9/In absence of MSM coverage, non-traditional media sources began posting pre-2020 masks studies. RCT & peer reviewed papers from world class institutions were dismissed by mask enthusiasts as quackery because they were hosted on "pseudoscience" websites.

swprs.org/face-masks-evi…

10/Well written technical articles and pleas from the true SMEs on masks (industrial hygienists) were ignored as well.
aier.org/article/the-ye…

11/Into the fall/winter virus season, as the data rolled in (complied most notably by @ianmSC), it became clear (when comparing mask to non-mask jurisdictions), that the promised case reductions failed to materialize even with extremely high compliance.

https://twitter.com/justin_hart/status/1335413089148125184

12/Nor did masks prevent stay at home orders or businesses from being locked down again.
toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-offici…

13/Risk assessments and cost/benefit analysis for all-day wearers (particularly for school children) have never been produced. A German study demonstrated the harms that can come from all-day mask wearing in schools.

https://twitter.com/DaFeid/status/1345815598224314369

14/The only thing that masks have accomplished is further dividing and polarizing the population. Making masks mandatory prompted calls for enforcement & punishment and has created toxic virtue-signaling over a measure that is not particularly effective.

15/The divisions are only getting worse.

16/The fact that 'experts' are now calling for double or even triple masking amounts to a blatant admission that universal masking has been an abject failure in controlling the spread of C19. They can't even stay on the same messaging anymore.

https://twitter.com/RMConservative/status/1354850086308732929

17/We need a more nuanced discussion on masks. Are they of benefit in some venues (LTC/health care/extended close contact), and perhaps not in others (schools, general community casual contact, outdoors, while doing exercise). The burden is on gov't to prove effectiveness.

18/Walking back mask mandates will be challenging given how strongly they have been pushed (erroneously) as an effective mitigation for C19. Damage has been done to human empathy and NV communications. The discrimination that is occurring is appalling
globalnews.ca/news/7520912/m…

19/Seasonality presents an opportunity for politicians to escape the pitfalls of universal mask mandates once and for all. Some people will still choose to wear masks for a time and that's OK. We must all work together to stop the masker/anti-masker rhetoric. #MasksOffSpring2021.

19/Seasonality presents an opportunity for politicians to escape the pitfalls of universal mask mandates once and for all. Some people will still choose to wear masks for a time and that's OK. We must all work together to stop the masker/anti-masker rhetoric. #MasksOffSpring2021.