Mask Mandates and Their Effectiveness

Mask mandates in schools are being debated as studies, including the Cochrane review of mask studies, suggest that mask mandates do not appear to have an impact at the community level. While some insist that masks can work on an individual level, the review found zero evidence that community-level masking had any impact, citing good randomized control trials. The risks posed by COVID to children are not significantly different from other circulating viruses, such as RSV and influenza. The virus has not changed much, but our immune systems have evolved to recognize it, preventing severe disease even when infection occurs.