Quote:
Originally Posted by YOWetal
"Medical advice" is a tricky thing.
In terms of masks in public places especially transient ones like shops there is almost no downside so we don't need to consider other repercussions.
In schools (and maybe offices) there is a different dynamic. There is no conclusive evidence that masks cause children harm but there are some preliminary studies which suggest impacts on speech and socialization. Meanwhile it is obvious there is a minimum age when masks have any utility. Europe suggests they should only be used for 12 and older. In Ottawa for example they were added to Kindergarten in Sept. 2021. This was entirely political and it is unlikely masks have any impact on spread at that age when language and socialization are nearly the only purposes of attending school at that age.
"Follow the science" is not as simple as it sounds and we should avoid getting caught in the US crazy political divide on these issues.
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Fully agree that the science is complex, and I've definitely heard people use "science" (and by that they mean some cherry-picked fact from a media report) to justify some very strange positions. I was more referring to the advice of the Chief Public Officer of Health, and the science advisory table, as they are there specifically to review the science and local conditions and make recommendations based on their expertise in the field. I don't think that they are recommending that we drop the mask mandate yet. In my opinion, the decision on timing of removal of mandates should be as de-politicized as possible.
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