A recent study found that wearing masks isn’t effective in preventing how many people catch COVID-19 or other flu-like illnesses, and most major news outlets aren’t covering it.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews published the study, whose intent was to find how effective “physical interventions,” like wearing masks and washing hands, are in stopping the spread of these viruses. Though they found wearing masks isn’t effective, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and others continue to report studies that say they are.
“Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of influenza-like illness (ILI)/COVID-19 like illness compared to not wearing masks,” the study found.
In November, the NYT reported on a case study from the New England Journal of Medicine that found that mask mandates in schools were effective in stopping the spread.
Last year, the Post reported on a case study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found that wearing N95 and KN95 masks were the most effective in halting COVID-19.
In 2021, The Atlantic reported on a case study by scientists from various schools that found surgical masks are effective in preventing transmission.
The Cochrane 12-author review looked at 78 randomized controlled trials, which is said to be the “gold standard” in case studies, the Washington Examiner reported. These types of trials have a better likelihood of ruling out outside factors, according to the Examiner.
The authors evaluated the cases of wearing medical or surgical masks, as well as N95 masks. Regardless of the type of mask, the results remained the same: They’re not effective, according to the study.
The other physical measure that the study tested was if hand washing was effective in preventing the spread, and they found it was. “Hand hygiene is likely to modestly reduce the burden of respiratory illness,” according to the study.
The CDC, NYT, the Post and The Atlantic did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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