Face Masks
Frequently Asked Questions
The following FAQs are in response to inquiries we received on the no mandatory mask campaign. Visit the campaign page to learn more and for references.
What’s the big deal with wearing a mask?
It simply doesn’t make sense for everyday people to wear a mask, especially children. Masks are for those who are ill, not healthy. Moreover, wearing one can create, not deter, illness. When individuals wear masks they end up touching their faces more frequently, which could lead to infection. They also rebreathe particles that their lungs have exhaled that are trapped in the mask. Additionally, the masks that everyday people wear impede oxygen flow and aren’t porous enough to allow carbon dioxide to fully dissipate. All of these things decrease the body’s immune response.
According to Dr. Eli Perencevich, an internist and infectious disease specialist, “The average healthy person does not need to have a mask, and they shouldn’t be wearing masks. There’s no evidence that wearing masks on healthy people will protect them. They wear them incorrectly, and they can increase the risk of infection because they’re touching their face more often.”
If I can wear a mask, why can’t you wear a mask?
Many people assume that because they are able to wear a mask without issue, everyone should be able to wear a mask without issue. There are numerous reasons why someone might not be able to wear a mask. These include:
- Anxiety or other psychological issues and disorders
- Autism or other developmental disorders
- Hearing impairments
- Fear of racial profiling, violence or brutality by being a person of color or minority in a mask
- PTSD from being a victim of a rape, sexual assault or another violent crime in which the perpetrator was wearing a face covering or forced the victim to wear a face covering
- Respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD
- Sensory issues and disorders
- Skin conditions (staph infections, yeast infections, contact dermatitis, etc.)
Moreover, just because someone with one of the above conditions wears a mask does not mean that everyone with that condition can do so. Every human has a different physiological and psychological makeup; what’s true for one person is not true for all.
The CDC says to wear a mask, so why not just listen to them?
The CDC and other health authorities have flip-flopped their position on masks several times over the past few months. Although the agency is currently recommending mask-wearing in public, it has been unable to produce compelling evidence showing that masks worn by healthy individuals stop the spread of viral illness. Further, when you look at the science behind masks, wearing one to stop the spread of coronavirus makes no sense. Masks are incapable of stopping the lifecycle of a virus, and there is zero evidence to support the theory that masks worn by healthy people stop the spread of disease.
Thus, many people who choose not to wear a mask are choosing to exercise their personal judgment and not participate in a message of fear or false security.
Isn't it silly to complain about masks when people are dying of COVID-19?
It depends on how you view the body. If you view the body as brilliantly designed and understand that oxygen is one of the most important necessities for life, then it is in no way trivial or selfish to want to protect your breathing and your health.
Surgeons and Asians have worn masks for years. Why can’t you?
Face masks are worn by surgeons because they’re supposed to make wound infections after surgery less likely. According to Cochrane, a global independent network that produces systematic reviews and other research to inform health decision-making, the purpose of face masks is two-fold: 1) to prevent the passage of germs from the surgeon’s nose and mouth into the patient’s wound and 2) to protect the surgeon’s face from sprays and splashes from the patient. Thus, the mask is something that is worn by a medical provider in a specialized setting for a specialized purpose.
Masks are worn in East Asia for cultural purposes and to limit exposure to air pollution. Nearly 2 million people are estimated to die in China each year from pollution-related illnesses. Asians who wear masks in the United States have largely done so as a cultural crossover.
Shouldn't your right to refuse a mask end where it puts me in danger?
There is no solid science demonstrating that unmasked individuals are a health detriment to others. Research shows that prolonged, close contact is needed for the transmission of coronavirus. It also shows that masks are incapable of stopping the spread of a virus.
According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, there is no scientific evidence that masks are effective in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The center, which addresses public health preparedness and emerging infectious disease response, also said that the use of masks “may result in those wearing the masks to relax other distancing efforts because they have a sense of protection.”
How does wearing a mask violate your rights?
By dictating that someone must wear a mask, it is forcing that person to choose an allopathic intervention for the purpose of protecting himself/herself and others. Forcing a person to take an intervention that is potentially harmful for the sake of others is unethical.
Forcing individuals to abide by measures that restrict their ability to move freely throughout society without discrimination is unconstitutional. Prohibiting people from entering or participating in society because they don’t wear a mask also violates their constitutional rights.
Lastly, for those with deeply held religious beliefs, forced mask-wearing violates their ability to abide by natural law and follow their convictions to walk in faith, not fear.
What’s wrong with mask mandates?
Although public officials are charged with controlling the spread of infectious disease, they are not responsible for individual health. Only individuals can decide what measures are in their best interest. Strong health policies empower individuals to take responsibility for their health; they shouldn’t strong-arm them into taking certain measures without allowing them to decide if those measures are in their best interest.
Policies that mandate compliance that for the greater good are dangerous; one person’s health cannot be sacrificed for another’s, and no one’s life should be privileged over another’s. As such, the decision to wear a mask must be a personal one and should not be universally mandated; measures that are meant to protect the community as a whole are ineffective if they hurt individuals within the community.
For more information on the problems with medical mandates, visit https://standforhealthfreedom.com/blog/why-states-are-getting-it-wrong-with-medical-mandates/.
Some news reports say masks are necessary. How do you explain that?
The news media is known for oversimplifying issues; it also known for sensationalizing stories to increase ratings and profits. Coronavirus is an important topic affecting each of our lives. New scientific developments about the virus and society’s response continue to unfold rapidly. However, the pandemic is dominating headlines with terrifying narratives that are generating fear and hysteria. These headlines lead to increased ad revenues and audience engagement, but they’re also instilling widespread panic and uncertainty in the American public.
Studies show that exposure to fear and acute stress results in compromised immune function that can subsequently affect brain function. So individuals need to balance the need for information with the need to safeguard their health by minimizing their exposure to fear. Most of all, people need to take personal responsibility for their welfare and decide what’s best for them and their family using facts and reason — not fear.