Why heed the media’s call for Americans to mask up again?

Mainstream Media Pushes Masks Again

The mainstream media is once again advocating⁢ for the use of masks in response to a rise in COVID-19 cases. However,‌ this renewed⁣ push comes despite mounting‍ evidence suggesting that masks ​do⁤ not effectively stop the spread of the virus. There has⁣ been no real reckoning over the politicized reporting on⁣ masks during​ the pandemic.

What they’re ‌saying: “Experts say” exactly‌ what ‌they did ⁢in 2020.

As new Covid variants gain traction ⁤and cases climb in certain areas,⁢ a few schools and businesses are reinstating mask requirements. Experts say⁤ it makes sense to increase precautions, including turning back⁢ to masks. https://t.co/flp0vw4qAc

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 5, 2023

If you’re ⁣at high⁢ risk of serious illness or death from Covid-19, ⁢it’s‍ time to dust off those ‍N95 masks. https://t.co/PNAhksNAPq

— ‌CNN (@CNN) August 29, ⁢2023

USA Today: “The good news is, all⁣ the same protection measures that have existed since earlier in the pandemic will still work to avoid infection today, Long said.⁢ Those include:

“Wearing ‍a‍ high-quality, well-fitting respirator

“Avoiding crowds⁢ and people who are sick.”

CNN: “Precautions ⁤like masking⁢ and staying up-to-date ‍on vaccinations are⁢ especially important as this rise in Covid-19 ⁣carries into the broader respiratory virus season, experts say.”

NPR: ‍”The U.S. is seeing a late-summer spike⁢ in COVID cases, ⁤prompting some schools, ⁢hospitals and ⁢businesses to encourage—or⁣ even ‌require—people to start ‌masking up again. …

“[Dr. Stephen Thomas, an infectious disease physician and professor at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse] says the combination​ of those factors prompted the ‍decision to mandate ⁢masks—and it already appears ‍to be⁢ helping.”

OK, but: Few ⁢news outlets feel obliged​ to mention that, ‍as the author of ⁤the gold-standard systematic review on the efficacy of masks put it earlier‌ this year, “There is just ​no evidence that they make any difference. Full stop.”

Nor are ⁢journalists rushing to ⁣revisit the⁢ downsides of masking,‌ especially for children.

Flashback: The media⁢ probably got‌ it right on masking the first time, albeit for the wrong​ reasons. Early⁢ in the pandemic, they parroted experts’ proclamations that ⁤masks don’t work.

It’s amazing how left⁤ wingers like Rachel Maddow went ‍from⁤ being hyper rational on covid to completely losing their minds. This is ⁤a Maddow from March of 2020,⁣ acknowledging everyone⁢ would get covid and masks⁤ were mostly worthless. pic.twitter.com/Z1dcBtEfKC

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 4, 2023

There’s been a run‍ of surgical masks in ⁢the US because‍ of the ​coronavirus scare. ‌You don’t need them, physicians say. https://t.co/DUl7vAWHwN pic.twitter.com/gMYExhRNdc

— ⁢CNN (@CNN) January 29, 2020

How to prepare ​for coronavirus⁤ in ‌the U.S. ‌(Spoiler: Not sick? No need to‌ wear a⁣ mask.)‍ https://t.co/p8RDKepbtZ

— The⁢ Washington Post⁢ (@washingtonpost)⁣ February ‌27, 2020

Experts ​have said there is little benefit to wearing a surgical type⁢ mask, and warn it may even put you at​ greater ⁢risk for spreading infection. ​ https://t.co/fdYqaaGK4E

—‌ ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2020

But then experts⁣ started urging ‌masking—with Dr. Anthony Fauci, ⁢the former White House health adviser and top masking scold, admitting ‍ he initially sought to prevent a run on then-scarce prophylactics—and Democratic politicians started mandating the practice. ‍The media quickly ‌embraced the role‍ of partisan enforcer.

“It is really ⁢important to… [discourage] ⁢inappropriate behaviors ⁤like congregating in groups or not wearing your mask,” says Dr. Julie Morita on ⁤Covid-19.

“As much⁢ as we’d ⁢like to celebrate and feel like because the ​vaccine is‌ here, we can let our guard down, ⁢we really can’t.”​ pic.twitter.com/rTv8fsliVX

— CNN (@CNN) ‌ December 29, ⁣2020

“This would stop the epidemic.”
Some experts‍ like ​Brigham and⁢ Women’s Hospital and Harvard ⁢Medical School‍ physician Dr. Abraar Karan have been advocating ‌for public use of ⁢N95 masks from the‌ start of the pandemic. https://t.co/BznU6EDX43

— CNN ⁣(@CNN) January ‌23, 2021

Herman Cain,⁣ ex-presidential candidate who refused ⁤to‌ wear mask, dies after COVID-19 diagnosis https://t.co/sDehhghcpR pic.twitter.com/caPp9gLFw1

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 30,‍ 2020

Wyoming’s governor has resisted calls for​ a mask mandate. Now he has the coronavirus. https://t.co/xSxQaDUAe2

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 26, 2020

Vaccines⁢ may give people a false sense of security that masks are no longer⁤ needed. Unfortunately, that is not the case. https://t.co/MMO8vHt3ua

— ABC News (@ABC) December 25, 2020

How to talk to your friends and family about Covid-19, vaccines and wearing masks. https://t.co/jX4fIgxyIt

— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 11, 2020

For‍ healthcare⁣ workers, misinformation can make it feel like they’re living in “2 different realities.”

At⁣ work, they see⁤ people​ get sick. People ‍die.

Then they ‍go⁤ to the store and have people react with anger for wearing ‌a mask,⁤ an official tells NPR.https://t.co/kRfbFpDbJq

— NPR (@NPR) November 20,⁤ 2020

Double-masking is a sensible and easy way to lower your risk ​when‌ you have ⁣to spend more time around others. ⁣ https://t.co/nwr75WgeeE

— ‍The New York⁢ Times (@nytimes) January 24, 2021

Flash forward: The latest ‌round ⁣of masking coverage isn’t as zealous as⁢ the first one, perhaps in part⁢ because experts’ and Democrats’ ‍hearts don’t ⁣seem to be in the fight.

Fauci has retreated ⁣to the position that “masks work at the margins” or “at the level of ⁤individual infections.” And President Joe Biden, whose wife, ‌Jill⁢ Biden, has COVID-19, joked with reporters on Wednesday about his flouting of Centers for Disease ⁢Control⁢ and Prevention guidance on masks.

BIDEN: “They keep telling me…I gotta⁢ keep wearing [a mask], but don’t tell them I didn’t‍ have⁤ it ‌on ⁢when I walked in” pic.twitter.com/MQt9H80OLT

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) ⁤ September 6, ⁤2023

Biden, 80, going‍ maskless while awarding ⁣the Medal of Honor to an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran on Tuesday was covered with a similarly light tone.

Associated Press: ‌”To Mask or Not To Mask? Biden Goes⁢ Both Ways After First Lady ‌Tests Positive for COVID-19″:

Biden was​ at Tuesday’s Medal⁢ of Honor event for less ⁢than 15 minutes. CDC officials ​have‍ used 15 minutes as a rough guideline ​for⁣ how long casual contact between two people can ​be for COVID-19 to⁤ spread,⁤ although it is possible for ⁢the virus to spread⁢ in less ‌time.

The AP ‍in late 2020 when ‍then-President Donald Trump went maskless on the job?: ⁢”Trump, Still Infectious, Back at White House—Without Mask”:

President Donald Trump staged a dramatic⁤ return to the White House Monday night after leaving the military hospital where he was receiving an unprecedented ​level of‍ care for COVID-19. He immediately ignited a new ‌controversy ⁣by declaring ​that despite⁢ his illness the nation should not fear‌ the‌ virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans—and then ‌he entered the White House without a protective mask.