IN reply to Dr. Whelan, who is an advocate of mask wearing in the open air (letters last week).

There are more than 30 scientific studies (readily available) that conclude wearing a mask will not prevent the spread of a virus, mainly because a virus is a thousand times smaller than the weave of a mask. The Prime Minister, Chris Whitty, Matt Hancock, the WHO and Dr. Fauci (US chief medical officer) all said at the height of the pandemic in April that the evidence for wearing masks to stop the spread of a virus was weak and possibly counter productive. What changed? Not the evidence. Wearing a mask became a symbol, as the pandemic declined, to remind us that there was still a virus around.

Masks should be changed regularly, at least every 30 minutes, to stop the build up of bacteria. Long term wearing (as shop workers must and children in some schools), without these regular changes can be injurious to health, from rashes and difficulty breathing, to bacterial pneumonia (Dr. James Meehan, August 2020). If supermarkets did a serious risk assessment on this they would be campaigning against the use of masks for their employees on the grounds of health and safety. Hospital Staff use masks to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria, substantially larger entities than a virus.

My opinion is that we should be allowed to breath freely the wonderful fresh air of Wharfedale. If a person feels more protected by wearing a mask by all means they should be allowed to wear one. If a mask works in stopping the spread of a virus then there is no reason to feel fear from a person without one.

Andrew Ross

Addingham