While the CDC continues to promote the use of masks as a method to reduce the risk of viral transmission, and report that consistently wearing a well-fitted mask is better than not wearing one, multiple studies, have found that masks show little or no benefit, and may potentially cause harm.
In January 2023, the Cochrane Library published a review on the available literature pertaining to the use of physical interventions to reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. The authors concluded that wearing medical/surgical masks in community settings offered little to no protection against influenza-like illness and COVID-19. Additionally, the authors also found that when compared to surgical/medical masks, N95 and P2 respirators likely offered little to no additional protection against respiratory illness.
There are also several studies finding that there are harms associated with masking, such as exposure to dangerous levels of carbon dioxide, fatigue or drowsiness, headaches, concentration impairments, irritability, malaise, impairments in learning, depressed moods, and a reluctance to attend school.
