fbpx
Connect with Point of View   to get exclusive commentary and updates

Masks and the Experts

Should you wear a face mask?
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Kerby Andersonnever miss viewpoints

Throughout this pandemic, we have been told to trust the experts. But you have probably concluded from the many public statements, that not all the medical experts agree. And the easiest way to demonstrate that is to look at what the experts have been saying about the importance of wearing a mask.

At one extreme you have the very strong comments by the Surgeon General Jerome Adams back in February. Here’s his tweet: “Seriously people—STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing the general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!”

On radio, we pointed out at the time that the second part of his tweet contradicted the first part of the tweet. He told the American people to stop buying masks because they were not effective in preventing the coronavirus. Then he implied that you shouldn’t buy them because healthcare providers needed them. But why did they need them if they weren’t effective?

We found out later from him and other medical experts that they didn’t want people buying them because they wanted to make sure that personal protective equipment would be available for healthcare workers.

At the other extreme was the testimony this month by the CDC Director Robert Redfield. In front of the Senate Appropriations Committee he testified that “these facemasks, are the most important, powerful public health tool we have.” He then went on to make the outrageous statement that “this facemask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take the COVID vaccine.”

Back in February he even testified that healthy people should not be wearing a mask. Now he is saying wearing a mask would provide MORE protection than a vaccine. Perhaps you can see why the American people have had some trouble trusting the medical experts.viewpoints new web version

Viewpoints sign-up