CDC: Schools with mask mandates didn’t vary significantly in COVID-19 transmissions compared to schools with optional policies

As the ACLU prepares to sue South Carolina and some other states over their ban on mask mandates, FEE's Jon Miltimore finds some interesting statistics.

Miltimore writes, "A recent New York magazine article states that the science on masks 'remains uncertain,' but noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May published a large-scale study of COVID transmission in US schools."

"The study, which analyzed some 90,000 elementary students in 169 Georgia schools from November 16 to December 11, found that there was no statistically significant difference in schools that required students to wear masks compared to schools where masks were optional," Miltimore observes.

As New York magazine’s David Zweig noted, the CDC's findings “cast doubt on the impact of many of the most common mitigation measures in American schools.”https://t.co/xclcp2WLdm

— Jon Miltimore (@miltimore79) August 25, 2021

He continues, “The 21% lower incidence in schools that required mask use among students was not statistically significant compared with schools where mask use was optional,' the CDC said. 'This finding might be attributed to higher effectiveness of masks among adults, who are at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection but might also result from differences in mask-wearing behavior among students in schools with optional requirements."

Miltimore adds, "As New York magazine’s David Zweig noted, these findings, as well as other statistically insignificant preventive measures, “cast doubt on the impact of many of the most common mitigation measures in American schools.”

Read the entire column here.