On August 9, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that making children wear face masks will "hopefully" not have any "lasting negative impact" on them. His statement came in amid a row over whether facemasks' safety benefits outweigh any potentially harmful effects they may have on children.
The White House's Chief Health Adviser made the statement during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Here, he stated that it is important to keep an "open mind" about masking after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that unvaccinated children ages two and older wear masks and that children wear masks in all K-12 schools, regardless of their vaccination status.
"It's not comfortable, obviously, for children to wear masks, particularly the younger children," he said to Hewitt. "But you know, what we’re starting to see, Hugh, and I think it's going to unfold even more as the weeks go by, that this virus not only is so extraordinarily transmissible, but we're starting to see pediatric hospitals get more and more younger people and kids not only numerically, but what seems to be more severe disease."
He continued stating that they don't want a case where they allow children not to wear masks, only to find out that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is "in a very, very strange and unusual way is really hitting kids really hard."
"But hopefully, this will be a temporary thing, temporary enough that it doesn't have any lasting negative impact on them," he added.
Hewitt counters Fauci, says masks hamper kids' development
During his show, Hewitt disagreed with Fauci, pointing to an editorial published by the Wall Street Journal on August 5, that argues that long-term masking can cause physical and developmental issues in children and that there's little evidence to back up a mandate.
"Some children are fine wearing a mask, but others struggle," write the authors of the editorial. "Those who have myopia (short-sightedness) can have difficulty seeing because the mask fogs their glasses. Masks can cause severe acne and other skin problems. The discomfort of a mask distracts some children from learning."
The article also points out that, by increasing resistance during exhalation, masks can lead to increased carbon dioxide levels in children's blood. At the same time, they can also serve as vectors for bacteria and other pathogens if they become moist or used for extended periods.
On top of this, Hewitt also pointed out how face coverings can hamper children's ability to learn and communicate.
"Facial expressions are integral to human connection, particularly for younger children who are only learning how to signal fear, confusion and happiness," Hewitt explained. "Covering a child's face mutes these nonverbal form of communications, can result in robotic and emotionless interaction."
"So, doctor, what did you base it on?" Hewitt asks. "Why?"
In response, Fauci stated that the data used by the WSJ article dated back to the alpha variant. (Related: Fauci backs vaccine mandates for schools and businesses as evil depopulation plot expands.)
"Delta is different," he stated. "We'd better go back [to the CDC] and make sure those data are really solid the same way you're asking me, and I will."
Two weeks ago, the CDC recommended that unvaccinated children aged two and older wear masks. It also stated that students should wear masks in all K-12 schools, regardless of their vaccination status.
Not all local government leaders agree with the CDC. The governors of states such as Arizona, Florida and Texas have issued orders forbidding mask mandates in schools.
But some school boards are defying these orders. In Texas, the Dallas school district announced that it would require students and staff to wear face masks starting August 10. Meanwhile, the Houston school district is set to follow suit with a similar mask mandate if its board approves.
Follow Pandemic.news for more reasons why children shouldn't be required to wear masks.
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