NEW YORK CITY — Hospitals in Democrat-run states are resurrecting mask mandates despite ample evidence that the face-coverings cause far more harm than good.
At least five hospitals in New York, California and Massachusetts are once again insisting that healthy people restrict their breathing under the guise of “health and safety,” The Blaze reported on Wednesday.
Despite public health officials’ promises to the contrary, getting a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot won’t exempt anyone from the policy.
At New York’s Auburn Community Hospital everyone must mask up, “regardless of your immunization status,” reminding visitors or staff: “It must be worn at all times and must cover your nose and mouth.”
“Please know that these changes are not made lightly and we know that a return to masking may be upsetting for some of our caregivers,” UMass Memorial Hospital said in a memo.
In California, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center pointed to a spike in “positive cases” as justification for the unpopular policy. The hospital also recommended getting the latest booster shot “when it becomes available in the fall so we can protect against severe illness.”
STUDIES: MASKING IS HARMFUL
The implausible approach to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 has long been pilloried by many conservatives and free-thinking moderates alike. More recently, however, studies have demonstrated that wearing masks brings a number of harmful effects.
A peer-reviewed study published in May highlighted the dangers of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) in KF94 masks, which is the standard used in Korea similar to the N95 used in the United States.
KF94 and N95 masks are made from the thermoplastics polypropylene and polyurethane nylon. The study found that using a mask of this type exposes the wearer to up to eight times the safe limit of TVOCs. This poses a risk of health hazards – even including the development of cancers.
Volatile organic compounds from the manufacturing process can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, cause difficulty breathing and nausea, damage the central nervous system and organs like the liver – and in some cases, cause cancer, according to the American Lung Association.
In June, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that habitual mask wearing contributes to severe health outcomes, including cardiovascular diseases and increased mortality.
The researchers demonstrated that “wearing the N95 mask for 14 hours significantly affected the physiological, biochemical, and perception parameters.”
“The effect was primarily initiated by increased respiratory resistance and subsequent decreased blood oxygen and pH, which contributed to sympathoadrenal system activation and epinephrine as well as norepinephrine secretion elevation,” the authors wrote.
“Although healthy individuals can compensate for this cardiopulmonary overload, other populations, such as elderly individuals, children, and those with cardiopulmonary diseases, may experience compromised compensation. Chronic cardiopulmonary stress may also increase cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality.”
In February, a scientific review conducted by a dozen researchers from esteemed universities around the world indicated that widespread masking likely made little difference in reducing the transmission of COVID-19.
