The Science Of Masks

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While the COVID-19 crisis rages on, the science against and in support of wearing masks accumulates daily. On the one side, proponents argue that masks save lives and stop the spread of the virus. The other side contends that wearing masks is complicated and suggests masks are ineffective and may even be harmful.
Recently, yet another angle has emerged asserting that regardless of whether masks work or not, government shouldn’t mandate that people must wear them, especially by children where the risks of contracting, spreading and exhibiting symptoms from COVID-19 are very low.
CHD is glad to provide dozens of studies/articles/videos we have accumulated, including meta-analyses. And, we will continue to post mask information on this page. (Some items appear under multiple headings depending on their content.)
Articles: The CDC’s Mask Mandate Study: Debunked, by Paul E. Alexander
On Masks and COVID-19 by Arthur Firstenberg
Masks Don’t Work: A Review of Science Relevant to COVID-19 Social Policy by Denis G. Rancourt, PhD
Still No Evidence Justifying Mandatory Masks by Todd McGreevy
Masks Masquerading as Science by Kevin McKernan
Masks Work. Really. We’ll Show You How by Or Fleisher, Gabriel Gianordoli, Yuliya Parshina-Kottas, Karthik Patanjali, Miles Peyton and Bedel Sage
Of masks and men: no clear evidence masks are effective in COVID-19
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era
These 12 Graphs Show Mask Mandates Do Nothing To Stop COVID
Medical Masks
Face Masks Pose Serious Risks To The Healthy by Russell Blaylock, MD
The Risks vs. Benefits of Face Masks- Is There an Agenda? by Alan Palmer, MD
Brain Damage From Masks CANNOT BE REVERSED
5 Questions: Stanford scientists on COVID-19 mask guidelines
Maine’s Rise in COVID-19 Cases Linked to Face Masks
Podcast: Pulmonary Specialist Speaks Out On The Health Risks Of Wearing Masks & The Lies Surrounding COVID-19
Reusing masks may increase your risk of coronavirus infection
Surgeon General Doubles Down: Masks Increase Virus Risk
Public Health Experts Keep Changing Their Guidance on Whether or Not to Wear Face Masks for Coronavirus
Reports: COVID-19 & Public Health Totalitarianism: Untoward Effects on Individuals, Institutions and Society (Chapter XI is Mask Chapter) by Peter R. Breggin, MD
WHO Emergencies Press Conference on coronavirus disease (at 00:22:39)
Adverse Health Effects: Review of scientific reports of harms caused by face masks, up to February 2021
Effect of a surgical mask on six minute walking distance
“Exercise with facemask; Are we handling a devil’s sword?” – A physiological hypothesis
The physiological impact of wearing an N95 mask during hemodialysis as a precaution against SARS in patients with end-stage renal disease
Respiratory consequences of N95-type Mask usage in pregnant healthcare workers-a controlled clinical study
Contamination by respiratory viruses on outer surface of medical masks used by hospital healthcare workers
Masks, false safety and real dangers, Part 1: Friable mask particulate and lung vulnerability
Masks, false safety and real dangers, Part 2: Microbial challenges from masks
Optical microscopic study of surface morphology and filtering efficiency of face masks
Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: a randomized controlled trial
Don’t Use N95 Masks for More Than 2 Days, Research Suggests
Investigation of adverse reactions in healthcare personnel working in Level 3 barrier protection PPE to treat COVID-19
Effects of long-duration wearing of N95 respirator and surgical facemask: a pilot study
Video: Pulmonary Specialist Speaks Out On The Health Risks Of Wearing Masks & The Lies Surrounding COVID-19
Impact of respiratory protective devices on respiration: Implications for panic vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic
PSmicrographs: One day old surgical face mask
Risks associated with the use of a mouth-nose-cover (MNC) in children and adolescents
Exercise with facemask: Are we handling a devil’s sword?” – a physiological hypothesis
Effects of long-duration wearing of N95 respirator and surgical facemask: a pilot study
Video: Wearing a mask is hazardous to your health
Chronic hypoxia-hypercapnia influences cognitive function: a possible new model of cognitive dysfunction in COPD
Effects of surgical and FFP2/N95 face masks on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity
Adverse Effects of Prolonged Mask Use among Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19
Preliminary report on surgical mask induced deoxygenation during major surgery
The effects of wearing facemasks on oxygenation and ventilation at rest and during physical activity
Cloth Masks A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers
Video: Cloth Masks & COVID-19: Is Two-Layered Cotton Effective in Preventing Spread of Aerosolized Droplets from One Person to Another? By Mayo Clinic Proceedings Featuring Catherine Clase
Rapid Expert Consultation on the Effectiveness of Fabric Masks for the COVID-19 Pandemic (Chapter 6)
Simple Respiratory Protection—Evaluation of the Filtration Performance of Cloth Masks and Common Fabric Materials Against 20–1000 nm Size Particles
Video: COVID-19 Homemade Masks: Are Fabric Masks Just as Effective as Surgical Masks? What Is the Performance of Fabrics Against Spread of Respiratory Infection Through Droplets? By Taher Saif
Evaluating the efficacy of cloth facemasks in reducing particulate matter exposure
N95 Masks Don’t Use N95 Masks for More Than 2 Days, Research Suggests
Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks against influenza: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis
N95 Respirators vs Medical Masks for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Personnel
The physiological impact of wearing an N95 mask during hemodialysis as a precaution against SARS in patients with end-stage renal disease
Respiratory consequences of N95-type Mask usage in pregnant healthcare workers-a controlled clinical study
Video: Infection Control for COVID-19: Can Masks and Other PPE be Multi-Use? How Do Surgical Masks Compare to N95 Respirators? By Stanford Medicine, Featuring Gloria Hwang
Effects of long-duration wearing of N95 respirator and surgical facemask: a pilot study
Do N95 respirators provide 95% protection level against airborne viruses, and how adequate are surgical masks?
Effectiveness of Masks and Respirators Against Respiratory Infections in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Masks for Prevention of Respiratory Virus Infections, Including SARS-CoV-2, in Health Care and Community Settings
Effects of long-duration wearing of N95 respirator and surgical facemask: a pilot study
Mask in Surgical Settings Is a mask necessary in the operating theatre?
Postoperative wound infections and surgical face masks: A controlled study
Surgical face masks in modern operating rooms—a costly and unnecessary ritual?
The evolution of the surgical mask: filtering efficiency versus effectiveness
Disposable surgical face masks for preventing surgical wound infection in clean surgery
Preliminary report on surgical mask induced deoxygenation during major surgery
Other Mask Studies Comprehensive review of mask utility and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic
A rapid systematic review of the efficacy of face masks and respirators against coronaviruses and other respiratory transmissible viruses for the community, healthcare workers and sick patients
Effectiveness of masks and respirators against respiratory infections in healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Efficacy of face mask in preventing respiratory virus transmission: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
To mask or not to mask: Modeling the potential for face mask use by the general public to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic
Could masks curtail the post-lockdown resurgence of COVID-19 in the US?
Comparison of Filtration Efficiency and Pressure Drop in Anti-Yellow Sand Masks, Quarantine Masks, Medical Masks, General Masks, and Handkerchiefs
Comparison of the Filter Efficiency of Medical Nonwoven Fabrics against Three Different Microbe Aerosols
Efficacy of masks and face coverings in controlling outward aerosol particle emission from expiratory activities
Face masks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review
Facemasks and similar barriers to prevent respiratory illness such as COVID-19: A rapid systematic review
Masks-for-all for COVID-19 not based on sound data
Nonpharmaceutical Measures for Pandemic Influenza in Nonhealthcare Settings—Personal Protective and Environmental Measures
Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Part 1 – Face masks, eye protection and person distancing: systematic review and meta-analysis
The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence
Non-pharmaceutical public health measures for mitigating the risk and impact of epidemic and pandemic influenza
Effectiveness of Adding a Mask Recommendation to Other Public Health Measures to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Danish Mask Wearers
SARS-CoV-2 Transmission among Marine Recruits during Quarantine
A Model to Explain Statewide Differences in COVID-19 Death Rates
Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the COVID-19 Era
Facemasks and similar barriers to prevent respiratory illness such as COVID-19: A rapid systematic review
A reality check on the use of face masks during the COVID 19 outbreak in Hong Kong
A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019
Masks for Prevention of Respiratory Virus Infections, Including SARS-CoV-2, in Health Care and Community Settings
Do Facemasks protect against COVID-19
Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: A randomized controlled trial
Facemasks in the COVID-19 era: A health hypothesis
Videos: Video: Mask Facts
Video: Pulmonary Specialist Speaks Out On The Health Risks Of Wearing Masks & The Lies Surrounding COVID-19
Video: Study Finds ’Specific & Significant Risk’ Of AD … actions After COVID Vaccine & FBI’s Qanon Psyop
(Videos below are found on Vumedi.com. They are  free to watch but you must sign up.)  
Video: COVID-19 & Mask Myths Debunked: Can N95’s, Surgical and Cloth Masks May Be Dangerous & Are They Effective at Protecting Against the Spread of the Virus? By Richard Oehler
Video: COVID-19 Facemasks: What is the Difference Between Cloth and Surgical Masks? What Types of Respirators Are There? Are There Any Drawbacks of Alternative Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? By Kyle Wu
Video: Face Masks & COVID-19: Does Your Face Mask Protect You or Other People? By Monica Gandhi
Video: How Well Do Face Masks Protect us from COVID-19 Infection? By How Much Is the Risk Reduced if Only One Person Is Wearing a Mask? By Julian W. Tang
Video: Infection Control for COVID-19: Can Masks and Other PPE be Multi-Use? How Do Surgical Masks Compare to N95 Respirators? By Stanford Medicine, Featuring Gloria Hwang
Video: Masks Use During the New Phase of the Pandemic: How Common Is Asymptomatic Infection and How Transmissible is SARS-CoV-2 Infection from Someone Who Has No Symptoms? By UCSF School of Medicine Featuring George Rutherford
The Aftermath India: Discarded surgical masks are adding to bio-hazard around Goa
New Zealand: Face masks add to pollution woes
Switzerland: Hundreds of face masks fished out of Lake Geneva
North Carolina, USA: No shortage of masks, gloves littering area parking lots, roadsides
Canada: Face Masks: A Danger to Our Planet, Our Children & Ourselves

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