Masks Oxygen

Did an article published by one of the specialized scholarly outlets of the British Medical Journal say that child mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic led to "irreversible brain damage"? No, that's not true: The study didn't even mention brain damage. Posts on social media speculated about a conclusion the article didn't make on a topic it didn't address. The…

Did a study prove that wearing face masks raises the risk of stillbirths, testicular dysfunction and cognitive decline "due to build-up of carbon dioxide" (CO2)? No, that's not true: A "study" shared widely to social media was actually a review article of existing scientific studies -- not directly related to mask-wearing -- that a medical expert told Lead Stories was…

Did UNICEF and several agencies and organizations based in the United Kingdom endorse a graphic that includes misinformation about masks? No, that's not true: Six of the eight agencies and organizations included in the graphic told Lead Stories they did not co-sign the inaccurate graphic, which nonetheless pasted on their logos, including two obsolete logos. Lead Stories awaits updates from…

Does this video of an air quality monitor's danger signal prove it is unhealthy to wear one of the surgical masks recommended to slow the spread of COVID-19? No, that's not true: The screen on the gadget in the video, according to the user manual and an instructional video for the Honeywell device, indicates either a fault with the device…

Did the Taliban survive from February 2020 through August 2021 with no vaccines, no masks or business shutdowns and capture Afghanistan with no mass deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic? No, that's not true: These claims were made without evidence, while independent reports by health experts and others actually working there show thousands died and that Afghanistan public officers fought the…

Does a "research letter" published by JAMA Pediatrics prove that face masks are dangerous for children? No, that's not true: The medical journal that published the lab report on July 16, 2021 announced editors have retracted it, after peer scientists pointed out the measuring device was unsuitable, the data dubious and therefore the conclusions unwarranted. Despite being published in a…

Did this "Stanford Study" prove that face masks don't slow the spread of COVID-19 and harm the health of mask-wearers? No, that's not true: Stanford University disavows the article, which is not a report on new research and is full of the kind of spelling and grammar errors not found in journals by and for science professionals. It is, as…

Do masks, gloves, vaccines, and synthetic handsoaps suppress human immune systems? No, that's not true: Public health experts and medical research say the opposite is the case and the claims were made with no evidence in a meme that spread to hundreds of thousands of Instagram users in the midst of a COVID-19 surge that saw more than 160,000 new…

Do face masks worn to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus cause staphylococcus, or staph infections? No, that's not true. While they can reportedly cause pressure ulcers and skin irritation, a skin doctor and infectious disease expert separately told Lead Stories there is no causal link between staph infections and mask-wearing. The claim can be found in a meme…

Has no scientific study demonstrated masks protect people from COVID-19? No, that's not true: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a list of 19 scientific publications its infectious disease experts rely on when recommending people wear masks (not face shields) in public to prevent spreading the virus, and a paper on the requirement that surgeons and nurses wear…