White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced last Tuesday that "Masks are back." President Joe Biden, who has been quadruple-vaccinated and tested negative for COVID-19 for two weeks has supposedly chosen to wear one. First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for the virus.

According to Jean-Pierre Biden chose to resume wearing masks indoors as a preventive measure against the threat of the "new variant" of COVID-19. 

The president's recent actions and statements have opened up a debate on whether mask-wearing was ever effective against COVID.

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Masks are back, or maybe not

On Wednesday, President Biden walked into the White House State Dining Room holding a black face mask, jokingly telling reporters, "Let me explain to the press: I've been tested again today. I'm clear across the board."

Then he went on to say, "But they keep telling me because this has to be 10 days or something, I've got to keep wearing it. But don't tell them I didn't have it on when I walked in." 

It's clear that there's some confusion surrounding the need for masks, even at the White House.

The "new variant" of COVID-19 has been a cause for concern, with rumors circulating that the Biden administration is considering enforcing a new mask mandate. 

The effectiveness of masks has been a topic of debate for quite some time. While the CDC still recommends mask-wearing, a majority of studies suggest that it may be ineffective in preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.

Masks have limited effectiveness

One comprehensive study from the Cochrane Library indicates that medical or surgical masks have limited effectiveness in preventing influenza-like illness or COVID-19-like illness. 

There is also uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of N95/P2 respirators compared to medical/surgical masks in preventing clinical respiratory illness.

Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House chief medical advisor, has expressed doubts about the efficacy of masks. 

In an email from February 5, 2020, to former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Fauci suggested that masks primarily serve to prevent infected individuals from spreading the virus rather than protecting uninfected individuals. 

He also highlighted the minimal protection offered by typical store-bought masks due to their small size and discouraged their use in low-risk settings.

President Biden's past statements regarding COVID-19 have also come under scrutiny. In July 2021, he confidently declared "You're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations," only to contract COVID shortly after. His assertions were disproven as it became evident that vaccinated individuals could still contract and transmit the illness.

Even though Dr. Anthony Fauci acknowledges the limited effectiveness of masks, he maintains that they offer potential advantages on an individual level. This perspective contradicts the findings of most studies.

The Cochrane study suggests that the impact of masks on the overall pandemic at a population level remains inconclusive.