The Data Are Clear: STOP MASKING CHILDREN!!!

School boards and administrations--and even more tragically, many parents--across the U.S. should be ASHAMED! They have played a terrible role in one of the worst public policy mandates in American history. The excellent infographic (originating on Twitter) below--with dozens of citations in support--says it all: 

The Citations: 

(1) osf.io/ezdf2/
(2) nytimes.com/2020/11/10/hea…
(3) thehill.com/opinion/health…
(4) bbc.com/news/health-53…
(5) cmaj.ca/content/early/…
(6) medrxiv.org/content/10.110…
(7) medrxiv.org/content/10.110…

The Children Never Had the Coronavirus. So Why Did They Have Antibodies?A provocative study suggests that certain colds may leave antibodies against the new coronavirus, perhaps explaining why children are more protected than adults.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/health/coronavirus-children.html

Restore our lives using medical science, data and common senseWhile the lockdown may have been justified at the start, when little data was known, we know far more about the virus today.https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/514948-restore-our-lives-using-medical-science-data-and-common-sense

Coronavirus: 'Reassuring' study of children's 'tiny' riskSevere Covid-19 is rare and dying from it exceptionally rare, a study of UK hospital data finds.https://www.bbc.com/news/health-53932294

Infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in children compared with adultsBACKGROUND: The role of children in the transmission and community spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is unclear. We aimed to quantify the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2…https://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2021/04/09/cmaj.210263

Association between living with children and outcomes from COVID-19: an OpenSAFELY cohort study of 12 million adults in EnglandBackground Close contact with children may provide cross-reactive immunity to SARs-CoV-2 due to more frequent prior coryzal infections from seasonal coronaviruses. Alternatively, close contact with ch…https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.01.20222315v1

Sharing a household with children and risk of COVID-19: a study of over 300,000 adults living in healthcare worker households in ScotlandBackground Children are relatively protected from novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The reasons for this protection are not well understood but differences in the immune response to Severe Acute…https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.20196428v1

(8) papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…
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(10) journalofinfection.com/article/S0163-…
(11) journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/a…
(12) jamanetwork.com/journals/jaman…
(13) jcm.asm.org/content/early/…
(14) https://medrxiv.org/content/10.110...1/2021.04.16.21255616v1

Transmission dynamics of SARS‐CoV‐2 within families with children in Greece: A study of 23 clustersThere is limited information on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection clustering within families with children. We aimed to study the transmission dynamics of SARS‐Co.…https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jmv.26394

The role of children in the spread of COVID-19: Using household data from Bnei Brak, Israel, to estimate the relative susceptibility and infectivity of childrenAuthor summary One of the significant unanswered questions about COVID-19 epidemiology relates to the role of children in transmission. In this study we estimate susceptibility and infectivity of chil…https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008559

Comparison of Upper Respiratory Viral Load Distributions in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Children Diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pediatric Hospital Testing ProgramsThe distribution of upper respiratory viral loads (VL) in asymptomatic children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is unknown. We assessed PCR cycle threshold (…https://jcm.asm.org/content/early/2020/10/22/JCM.02593-20

Prevalence and Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Childcare Facilities: A Longitudinal StudyObjectives Previous data indicate that children might play a less crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission than initially assumed. We conducted a study to gain further knowledge on prevalence, transmis…https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.16.21255616v1

(15) pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediat…
(16) eurosurveillance.org/content/10.280…
(17) earlylearningnation.com/2020/08/lets-t…
(18) thetimes.co.uk/article/pupils…
(19) pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/…
(20) cream-migration.org/publ_uploads/C…
(21) https://nber.org/papers/w28619

‘Pupils pose little risk of spreading Covid’One of the largest studies in the world on coronavirus in schools, carried out in 100 institutions in the UK, will confirm that “there is very little evidence that the virus is transmitted” therehttps://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pupils-pose-no-risk-of-spreading-covid-27q6zfd9l

Let’s Talk About the Encouraging COVID Experience of U.S. Child Care Programs - Early Learning NationOne of the most frustrating aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the need to act with incomplete information, like driving along a twisting road in deephttps://earlylearningnation.com/2020/08/lets-talk-about-the-encouraging-covid-experience-of-u-s-child-care-programs/

COVID-19 Transmission in US Child Care ProgramsOBJECTIVES: Central to the debate over school and child care reopening is whether children are efficient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmitters and are likely to increase community spread wh…https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/10/16/peds.2020-031971.long

The Incidence and Magnitude of the Health Costs of In-person Schooling during the COVID-19 Pandemichttps://www.nber.org/papers/w28619

(22) outbreaknewstoday.com/sweden-report-…
(23) pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/147/4/…
(24) npr.org/2020/10/21/925…
(25) nytimes.com/2020/10/19/nyr…
(26) thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/g…
(27) telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/2…
(28) watson.brown.edu/taubman/news/2…

Sweden report: Teachers do not have a higher risk of being infected with COVID-19 - Outbreak News TodayBy NewsDesk  @bactiman63 Children still make up a small proportion of the reported COVID-19 cases in Sweden. A new report shows that primary school teachers, preschool teachers and childminders who me…http://outbreaknewstoday.com/sweden-report-teachers-do-not-have-a-higher-risk-of-being-infected-with-covid-19-49944/

Incidence and Secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in SchoolsBACKGROUND: In an effort to mitigate the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), North Carolina closed prekindergarten through grade 12 public schools to in-person inst…https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/147/4/e2020048090

Are The Risks Of Reopening Schools Exaggerated?New research has found few links between in-person K-12 schooling and COVID-19 case rates. "There is not a consistent pattern," one study author said.https://www.npr.org/2020/10/21/925794511/were-the-risks-of-reopening-schools-exaggerated

Surprising Results in Initial Virus Testing in N.Y.C. SchoolsThe absence of outbreaks, if it holds, suggests that the city’s efforts to return children to classrooms could serve as an influential model for the nation.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/nyregion/schools-coronavirus.html

Not a single child was hospitalised with coronavirus after schools reopened in JunePHE findings come as Britain’s chief medical officers warn that children are more at risk of long-term harm by not attending classhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/23/reopening-schools-june-not-single-child-hospitalised-coronavirus/?WT.mc_id=tmgliveapp_androidshare_Avz4yyvYF8nm

Going to school ‘does not increase risk of young children catching coronavirus’Children going to primary school or nursery are at no greater risk of picking up Covid-19 than those staying at home, according to the first results of a national surveillance programme.Public Healthhttps://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/going-to-school-does-not-increase-risk-of-young-children-catching-coronavirus-56bk8kp3x

(29) usatoday.com/story/news/inv…
(30) wwno.org/post/data-prov…
(31) politico.com/states/new-jer…
(32) thelancet.com/journals/lanin…
(33) pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediat…
(34) unicef.org/press-releases…
(35) https://mirror.co.uk/news/politics/...just-1-300-school-pupils-24035633

Florida schools reopened en masse, but a surge in coronavirus didn't follow, a USA TODAY analysis findsA USA TODAY analysis shows the state’s positive case count among kids ages 5 to 17 declined through late September after a peak in July.https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/09/28/florida-schools-reopened-en-mass-feared-covid-surge-hasnt-followed/3557417001/

Data Provides 'No Indication' COVID-19 Is Spreading In New Orleans K-12 SchoolsWith seven weeks worth of data, New Orleans Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno said there’s “no indication” COVID-19 is spreading within the city’s K-12…https://www.wwno.org/post/data-provides-no-indication-covid-19-spreading-new-orleans-k-12-schools

UNICEF: Schools are not 'main drivers' of Covid among kids"There is strong evidence that, with basic safety measures in place, the net benefits of keeping schools open outweigh the costs of closing them," said UNICEF.https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2020/11/18/unicef-schools-are-not-main-drivers-of-covid-among-kids-1337119

SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in educational settings: a prospective, cross-sectional analysis of infection clusters and outbreaks in EnglandSARS-CoV-2 infections and outbreaks were uncommon in educational settings during the summer half-term in England. The strong association with regional COVID-19 incidence emphasises the importance of c…https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30882-3/fulltext

Children cannot afford another year of school disruptionhttps://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-cannot-afford-another-year-school-disruption

Just 1 in 300 school pupils tested positive for Covid over two weeks in MarchNew ONS statistics also show only 1 in 500 teachers tested positive for Covid-19 over the fortnight period - reassuring parents that there wasn't an explosion in cases after England's schools went bac…https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/just-1-300-school-pupils-24035633

(36) cnbc.com/2021/04/23/mit…
(37) thelancet.com/journals/lanin…
(38) ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/…
(39) medrxiv.org/content/10.110…
(40) acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/L2…
(41) city-journal.org/do-we-need-mas…
(42) https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/qu...estions-answers/questions-answers-school-transmission

MIT researchers say time spent indoors increases risk of Covid at 6 feet or 60 feet in new study challenging social distancing policiesThe CDC and WHO guidelines fail to factor in the amount of time spent indoors, which increases the chance of transmission the longer people are inside.https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/23/mit-researchers-say-youre-no-safer-from-covid-indoors-at-6-feet-or-60-feet-in-new-study.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm

Transmission of COVID-19 in 282 clusters in Catalonia, Spain: a cohort studyIn our study, the viral load of index cases was a leading driver of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The risk of symptomatic COVID-19 was strongly associated with the viral load of contacts at baseline and sh…https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30985-3/fulltext

Do We Need Mask Mandates? | City JournalThe science suggests that more states should consider rescinding them.https://www.city-journal.org/do-we-need-mask-mandates

Questions and answers on COVID-19: Children aged 1 – 18 years and the role of school settingsHow likely are children to catch and transmit the virus in school settings? When and how will schools be reopened?https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/questions-answers/questions-answers-school-transmission

(43) who.int/news-room/q-a-…
(44) thv11.com/article/news/h…
(45) wset.com/news/coronavir…
(46) kesq.com/news/2020/10/2…
(47) theguardian.com/world/2020/oct…
(48) telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/2…
(49) https://telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/2...4/schools-told-not-punish-pupils-refuse-wear-masks/

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Children and maskshttps://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-children-and-masks-related-to-covid-19

Arkansas schools say kids coming to class with 'filthy' masksSchools across the state aren't having much of an issue getting kids to wear a mask, but instead, many are going to school with a dirty one.https://www.thv11.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/schools-urging-parents-to-wash-kids-mask-as-many-are-coming-to-class-with-filthy-ones/91-3918588a-3df0-474f-868e-ff0cd735c4d0

How dirty is your face mask? ABC13 InvestigatesFace masks are now a part of our daily routine; many people don’t leave home without one. The Centers for Disease Control and local health experts agree; masks help prevent the spread of COVID-1…https://wset.com/news/coronavirus/abc13-investigates-how-dirty-is-your-face-mask

Are you washing your mask frequently enough? Health officials discuss risks of improper mask care - KESQLocal health officials are reminding people to properly care for their face masks.  As news channel 3’s Madison Weil reports, not washing or changing a mask frequently enough has its own set of risks.…https://kesq.com/news/2020/10/23/are-you-washing-your-mask-frequently-enough-health-officials-discuss-risks-of-improper-mask-care/

The most common ways we're wearing face masks incorrectlyAn expert explains why scarves and masks with holes cut in them are less effective at preventing the transmission of coronavirushttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/02/the-most-common-ways-were-wearing-face-masks-incorrectly

Sweden stands firm on face masks as Anders Tegnell refuses to copy other countries' strategy In an interview with the Telegraph, Dr Tegnell argues there is an increased spread in countries that enforce face-mask wearinghttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/21/sweden-stands-firm-face-masks-anders-tegnell-refuses-copy-countries/?utm_content=telegraph&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1598084360

Schools told they cannot force pupils to wear masksGovernment says children should not be 'denied education' for non-compliance with measures that are voluntaryhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/24/schools-told-not-punish-pupils-refuse-we

(50) thetexan.news/texas-school-b…
(51) wpr.org/after-student-…
(52) trib.com/news/state-and…
(53) nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
(54) dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/03/08/rur…
(55) cbc.ca/news/world/den…
(56) https://floridapolitics.com/archives/42046...9-richard-corcoran-districts-can-make-facemasks-voluntary-for-new-school-year/

Texas School Boards Shedding Mask MandatesAfter Governor Greg Abbott gave the order to open the state, the TEA said school boards have the power to vote out their mask mandates.https://thetexan.news/texas-school-boards-shedding-mask-mandates/

After Student Walkout, Medford Schools Become Latest To Lift Mask RequirementsMedford is the latest Wisconsin school district to loosen or eliminate mask requirements. It's part of a statewide wave of votes by school boards in rural and suburban areas.https://www.wpr.org/after-student-walkout-medford-schools-become-latest-lift-mask-requirements

Open Schools, Covid-19, and Child and Teacher Morbidity in Sweden | NEJMCorrespondence from The New England Journal of Medicine — Open Schools, Covid-19, and Child and Teacher Morbidity in Swedenhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2026670

Ten Wyoming school districts no longer require face masksA majority of the districts serve fewer than 1,000 total students.https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/education/ten-wyoming-school-districts-no-longer-require-face-masks/article_4beb3bf3-9bba-576d-90eb-e77e8f2bd4da.html

'Our Kids Have Thrived': Rural Peaster ISD Never Required Masks Or Distancing And Most Students Are On Track AcademicallyThe rural school district in Parker County, northwest of Weatherford, never made masks an issue for students or staff this school year. Wear one, or don’t.https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/03/08/rural-peaster-isd-texas-masks-distancing-students-academically/

No masks, no distancing: Schools in Denmark defy COVID-19 — with success so far | CBC NewsStudents in Denmark were some of the first in the world to head back to school after COVID-19 lockdowns. Countries around the world, including Canada, have looked at the Danish model in designing thei…https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/denmark-schools-covid-19-pandemic-1.5720508

Richard Corcoran: Districts can make facemasks voluntary for new school yearCorcoran also said face-covering policies inhibit peer-to-peer learning.https://floridapolitics.com/archives/420469-richard-corcoran-districts-can-make-facemasks-voluntary-for-new-school-year/

(57) statsiq.co1.qualtrics.com/public-dashboa…
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(59) scientificamerican.com/article/masks-…
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(61) dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wal…
(62) researchautism.org/the-challenge-…
(63) https://theguardian.com/world/2020/oct.../19/charities-fear-impact-of-masks-on-deaf-children-in-uk-schools

Masks Can Be Detrimental to Babies’ Speech and Language DevelopmentThe good news is that parents can take action to compensatehttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/masks-can-be-detrimental-to-babies-speech-and-language-development/

Ex school principal: Education and socialisation cannot happen behind a maskThe proposal that our children cover their noses and mouths for 6/7 hours per day whilst at school, including in the classroom is inhumane.https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/ex-school-principal-education-and-socialisation-cannot-happen-behind-a-mask-3194054

School masks: face coverings could damage children's speech development, warn scientistsChildren’s Task and Finish Group report was endorsed by Sage on July 9, well before the Government’s U-turnhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/26/school-masks-potential-damage-speech-development-far-greater/

The lonely world of 10-year-old deaf boy who struggles with people in facemasksTracy Holtom said her eldest child, Stephen already feels isolated because of his disabilityhttps://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/lonely-world-10-year-old-20474208

Charities fear impact of masks on deaf children in UK schoolsConcern that pupils who rely on lip reading may suffer academically without supporthttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/19/charities-fear-impact-of-masks-on-deaf-

(64) canoncitydailyrecord.com/2021/05/05/fam…
(65) researchsquare.com/article/rs-124…
(66) mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8…
(67) ecotextile.com/2021040127603/…
(68) healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-r…
(69) chemicalwatch.com/172819/danish-…
(70) https://montanadailygazette.com/2021/01/25/new...-study-finds-masks-hurt-schoolchildren-physically-psychologically-and-behaviorally/

Family of four removed from Southwest Airlines flight after disclosing son’s disabilityA Northglenn mother says her family was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight because of her 3-year-old son’s sensory disability.https://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/2021/05/05/family-de-boarded-southwest-airlines-disability/

Is a Mask That Covers the Mouth and Nose Free from Undesirable Side Effects in Everyday Use and Free of Potential Hazards?Many countries introduced the requirement to wear masks in public spaces for containing SARS-CoV-2 making it commonplace in 2020. Up until now, there has been no comprehensive investigation as to the …https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4344

Corona children studies "Co-Ki": First results of a Germany-wide registry on mouth and nose covering (mask) in childrenBackground: Narratives about complaints in children and adolescents caused by wearing a mask are accumulating. There is, to date, no registry for side effects of masks.Methods: At the University of Wi…https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-124394/v2

New Study Finds Masks Hurt Schoolchildren Physically, Psychologically, and Behaviorally - Montana Daily GazetteA new study, involving over 25,000 school-aged children, shows that masks are harming schoolchildren physically, psychologically, and behaviorally, revealing 24 distinct health issues associated with …https://montanadailygazette.com/2021/01/25/new-study-finds-masks-hurt-schoolchildren-physically-psychologically-and-behaviorally/

(71) mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8…
(72) bmj.com/content/370/bm…
(73) https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P...MC7680614/

Facemasks in the COVID-19 era: A health hypothesisMany countries across the globe utilized medical and non-medical facemasks as non-pharmaceutical intervention for reducing the transmission and infectivity of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Alth…https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/

Psychosocial, biological, and immunological risks for children and pupils make long-term wearing of mouth masks difficult to maintainhttps://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3021/rr-6

Is a Mask That Covers the Mouth and Nose Free from Undesirable Side Effects in Everyday Use and Free of Potential Hazards?Many countries introduced the requirement to wear masks in public spaces for containing SARS-CoV-2 making it commonplace in 2020. Up until now, there has been no comprehensive investigation as to the …https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4344

In other words, as I've often said the past year, "THE DATA ARE CLEAR!" 

Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of The Miracle and Magnificence of America
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com