Masking children – all risk and no benefit
Masking children during the covid pandemic harmed children whilst doing nothing to stop the spread of the virus, a damning new report has found.
Research published in the journal ‘Paediatric Respiratory Reviews’ – which focuses on the lung health of youngsters – assessed both the benefits and harms of the controversial mask mandates for children implemented during the Covid era. It concluded that while masking children did nothing to reduce Covid spread, wearing masks did hamper children’s speech and language development as well as their ability to learn properly or exercise fully.
The study highlighted how some countries, including the United States, recommended children were masked down to the age of two for “many consecutive hours” in certain settings but it asserted this policy was not based on sound evidence.
The study states:
“To date, there is no robust evidence demonstrating that masking reduces the likelihood of respiratory infections in children…At the same time, there are numerous potential harms associated with mask wearing, especially in young children, some readily apparent and others more subtle and challenging to quantify.”
It adds:
“Identified harms of masking include negative effects on communication and components of speech and language, ability to learn and comprehend, emotional and trust development, physical discomfort, and reduction in time and intensity of exercise. Effectiveness of child masking has not been demonstrated, while documented harms of masking in children are diverse and non-negligible and should prompt careful reflection.”
Professor Robert Dingwall, a sociologist from Nottingham Trent University, and former UK government advisor on viral threats said:
“Once again, we have belated confirmation of concerns expressed early in 2020 about the implications of mandating masks on the social, educational, linguistic and psychological development of children. The evidence of likely damage and lack of benefit was in plain sight but disregarded in a rush to ‘do something.’