Video Misrepresents the Science Behind Face Masks
Quick Take
A viral video misrepresents scientific papers and the reasons for wearing face masks to claim that they are ineffective in mitigating transmission of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that masks may help prevent the spread of the disease.
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A video pushing misinformation about face masks racked up hundreds of thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube, before the latter removed it for violating the platform’s community standards.
It begins with a promise to answer these questions:
“In our highly politicized climate, it seems like everybody has to be on some kind of team… If we set aside feelings and we just look at facts, what do facts say about wearing a face mask? What does science say about face masks and whether or not they prevent the spread of viruses like COVID-19?”
But it doesn’t report either facts or science.
Right from the start, in that introduction, the video gets it wrong — COVID-19 isn’t a virus. Rather, it’s the disease that is caused by the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2.
More importantly, contrary to its claim that it would cut through the politics of wearing masks, the video actually goes on to misrepresent several scientific papers in an effort to support the claim that wearing a face mask is useless, or worse, that its use is harmful to the wearer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has explained that face coverings are meant to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus by containing respiratory droplets created when people cough, sneeze or talk. That’s called source control. The CDC has also noted that masks shouldn’t be worn if they are likely to cause harm, and it has said not everyone will be able to wear one.
That’s been the recommendation of the CDC since early April, when the agency changed its on the use, citing new studies on the transmission of the novel coronavirus.
