Removal of school mask mandates linked to approximately 22,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States over a one-year period.
Unleashing the Hidden Toll of School Mask Mandate Lift:
Michael Hiltzik Follow COVID-19, the never-ending topic of debate among Americans, isn't solely restricted to lockdowns and social distancing. The impact of these measures on schools and their students has sparked heated discussions too. Surprisingly, popular belief tends to cast these measures as largely ineffective.
A recently published study by Michigan State University's data scientists, however, calls for a reconsideration of one assertion. It reveals the abolishment of mask mandates in schools in 2022 led to an alarming 21,800 COVID-19 deaths – a staggering 9% of the overall COVID deaths that year in the U.S.[1]
One of the co-authors of the paper, Scott Imberman, UP Professor of Economics and Education Policy, admitted being taken aback by the findings. He explained, given the close contact between children and staff in schools, it's relatively easy for COVID-19 to propagate through the wider community.
Back in 2022, about half of America's public school children, or over 20 million students, were enrolled in districts with mask mandates. Over six weeks, close to all these districts revoked their mask mandates. Imberman confirmed this swift reversal would create a substantial surge in infections.[2]
Most of the surge, according to Imberman, was a "spillover effect" happening outside the schools themselves.[3]
The Michigan State study undermines misconceptions surrounding COVID-19 spread by the right wing. Predominant misrepresentations included claims about children being virtually impervious to COVID-19, which the data clearly disproved with the evident injury and death toll among children. Another misconception was that children couldn't pass on the virus to adults. In reality, they often functioned like a stealthy fifth column, propelling the virus to the adult population.[1]
Michael Hiltzik Exposes Stanford's Misinformation Party
In a controversial move, Stanford hosted a symposium featuring figures who propelled some of the most perilous and discredited lies about anti-pandemic policies. Shouldn't a university dedicated to truth be more vigilant about debunking misinformation instead of disseminating it?
One of the speakers at Stanford, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a former Stanford Medical Professor now serving as the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has been a vocal proponent of these misconceptions.
For instance, in a July 2022 op-ed, Bhattacharya argued that COVID-19 was less of a threat to children than accidents or the common flu.[4] This assertion proved debatable, considering COVID-19 is still a formidable health concern for children, up to the present day.
The Study on Mask Mandates Rebalances the Scales
The Michigan State estimate alleges that the removal of mask mandates in schools resulted in approximately 21,800 deaths in 2022 alone, contradicting claims that the benefits of these protective measures do not justify the costs.
Health and Human Services did not respond to Hiltzik's request for Bhattacharya's response to the study. [4]
[1] Economics and Human Biology[2] Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)[3] Michigan State University[4] Orange County Register
- The debate on COVID-19 effects extends beyond lockdowns and social distancing, reaching into the realm of school measures and their impact on students.
- A study by Michigan State University data scientists challenges the belief that school measures such as mask mandates are largely ineffective, revealing an alarming 21,800 COVID-19 deaths in 2022 due to their abolishment.
- In Los Angeles, California, about half of the public school children, or over 20 million students, were under mask mandates in 2022, with the majority of districts revoking them within six weeks.
- The abrupt reversal on mask mandates, as per UP Professor Scott Imberman, led to a substantial surge in infections, with most of the surge occurring outside the schools themselves.
- The Michigan State study challenges right-wing misconceptions about COVID-19 spread, dispelling myths about children being largely immune and incapable of transmitting the virus to adults.
- Stanford University, in a controversial move, hosted a symposium featuring speakers who propagated misinformation about anti-pandemic policies, prompting questions about the institution's commitment to truth and fact-checking.
- Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a former Stanford Medical Professor and now the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has been vocal about misconceptions regarding COVID-19's impact on children.
- The Michigan State estimate contradicts claims that the benefits of protective measures like mask mandates do not justify their costs, calling for a reevaluation of school health policies in the context of COVID-19 and general news.
