While most Americans have long returned to normal living in the wake of the pandemic, reports of a new variant of COVID-19 coming have the Biden administration on high alert, ready to do whatever is necessary to give the appearance of being on top of the virus that Biden pledged to “shut down” during the 2020 campaign.
Right now, it appears there’s an effort to develop an updated COVID vaccine, and according to Joe Biden, he might consider mandating that everyone get it. Vaccine mandates were a tough sell even before the pandemic was over, but I suspect Biden will find it’s an even tougher sell now that Americans are over COVID and the restrictions that went along with it.
Still, news of a new variant is likely to get some Americans concerned. When you go out in public, you rarely see anyone in a mask anymore, and those who do mask up are the most devoted Branch COVIDians who will likely never stop worrying about the virus, wearing their masks in public, and thinking they’re life-saving superhero vigilantes who need to keep their true identities secret.
Lately, when I notice people still wearing a mask, it’s often an N95 or KN95 mask. Long believed to be the most effective masks due to their tight fit that should prevent aerosols from passing through, they are by no means vastly superior protection from the standard cloth or surgical masks that you often used to see people wearing in public or now see polluting the nation’s beaches and parks, as we’ve covered here at PJ Media many times in the past.
Related: Oops! NYT Accidentally Admits Face Masks Were Garbage During COVID
But alas, a recent study published by the National Institutes of Health shows that these once-revered masks can be quite bad for you. Researchers at the Jeonbuk National University in South Korea examined two types of face masks — medical-grade masks and reusable cotton masks — and discovered that they emit chemicals that exceed the safe limit for toxic volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) by a factor of eight.
So not only do these masks fail to protect you from COVID, but inhaling TVOCs can also give you headaches and nausea, and extended exposure may lead to organ damage and potentially cancer — especially if you wear them directly out of the package.
“It is clear that particular attention must be paid to the VOCs associated with the use of KF94 masks [and] their effects on human health,” the study states. “Based on our findings, we suggest that prior to wearing a KF94 mask, each product should be opened and not worn for at least 30 min, thereby reducing TVOC concentrations to levels that will not impair human health.”
Related: Just Say No to Those Nasty Paper Straws
It is not clear from the study if the TVOCs are directly connected to the packaging or the masks themselves. However, when the mask is exposed to prolonged periods of increased temperatures, be it from its proximity to the face or from direct sunlight and ambient temperature, the concentrations of VOCs emitted from the mask increase.
Naturally, there are plenty of COVID faithful who dispute the study or insist that there’s little that we can conclude from its results. The NIH for example, always dedicated to the preferred narrative, added a disclaimer ensuring people know that “Inclusion in an NLM database does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health,” despite publishing the study.
So read the study for yourself and make up your own mind.
