Publisher’s Note: Thanks to Vermont public health researcher Amy Hornblas for compiling data on masking up’s impacts on our Vermont neighbors. Eye opening. To contribute your story, or find our more, contact Amy at vtmasksurvey@mail.com. And in this “Sketchy Claims For A Mask Mandate” analysis, AIER points out the obvious – COVID cases are exploding around the world in places that have MANDATED MASKS FOR MONTHS, including large swaths of the US, where 80% of the population has masked up since July. Finally, a reminder re: the Governor’s statewide mask mandate and medical (and other) exemptions here in Vermont – see official language below. Masks By Choice! Bless our 2nd Vermont Republic!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Vermont Mask Survey Shares Evidence of Health Risks

STATEWIDE, VERMONT (October 22, 2020) – The Vermont Mask Survey has been gathering information about the negative health effects Vermonters are experiencing as a result of wearing masks.  The initial findings of the survey, which began in July, are available in a newly released report.

The report explains that, while the negative health effects of wearing masks by health care workers have been well-documented, research on the effects of mandating masks among the general public has only just begun.  The Vermont Mask Survey’s stated purpose “is to begin compiling evidence in order to better evaluate the potential health hazards Vermonters are risking as a result of universal mask recommendations.”

The Vermont Mask Survey asked respondents to report on how often they experience these difficulties:  headaches, difficulty breathing, skin irritation, difficulty communicating, physical discomfort,  mental/emotional discomfort, and difficulty cleaning your hands every time you touch your mask.  

Data gathered from this survey demonstrates that a number of Vermonters across the state are suffering multiple health difficulties as a result of wearing masks.  For example, the survey discovered that respondents who experience difficulties “every time” are also experiencing three or more of them at a time.  Several survey respondents reported they are not accessing essential services in their communities because they cannot wear a mask.   

The report cites numerous studies which demonstrate that people with pre-existing conditions are at a greater risk of complications from wearing masks, and several survey responses confirmed this.  Respondents reported a worsening of pre-existing conditions, including:  asthma, breathing problems, a heart condition, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  One respondent commented:  

“When I have to wear a mask for a longer time (more than 15 minutes), like when grocery shopping, working, hair cut, my heart condition that I had been able to control the past two years with diet and exercise starts to come back.  I’m worried this will come back permanently.”  

One respondent reported that she is pregnant, and she finds her oxygen levels drop when she wears a mask.  This impact has been confirmed by research cited in the report, and is one example given for the need for further study and public awareness.

Research cited in the report also shows that wearing masks for long hours are more likely to cause more complications, and this was confirmed by the survey results.  66% of survey respondents who experience difficulties “every time” also reported they are required to wear a mask at work.  Over half of those wearing them for work wear a mask 5 or more days a week, and between 5 and 8+ hours each day. 

The survey raises a number of questions, such as:  What percentage of the population is suffering to the same degree as the survey respondents?  Are some segments of the population suffering disproportionately, such as children, elderly, or the working-class?  How much do these negative impacts undermine the community’s overall resistance to disease?

“All of the negative health impacts Vermonters reported in the survey are well documented in the research, and there has been concern about the use of masks in the health care fields for a long time.” 

The study’s author, Amy Hornblas, whose experience in the fields of disease-prevention and health education dates back to the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s, continues: “Most of the studies on the subject of mask use have looked at the health impacts on medical professionals working in clinical settings, but there are many differences between those situations and their use in the general public.  Medical professionals are able-bodied adults, who are trained in proper hygiene and mask use, and work in sterile environments.”    

The survey also uncovered evidence of of a stigma.  Threats and abusive responses were received in attempts to discourage the survey altogether.  “The stigma itself is a very real, palpable thing.  Unfortunately, the stigma is not only thwarting attempts by professionals who want to address the issue, but is further hurting those who are suffering the most,” says Hornblas.  

What does the author hope to accomplish with this survey?  “People seem to be unaware of the suffering that is going on all around them.  People with pre-existing conditions, like breathing problems and PTSD, the working-class…  I hope this survey can help us reduce the stigma around discussing this critical issue so that we can better assess the impacts.” 

The report points out that while the true extent of the health dangers Vermonters are facing by wearing masks is unknown, the results confirm that that caution around their use is warranted, and more research needs to be done to assess their safety.  Survey responses will continue to be collected through the winter. 

The full report is available on the website:  vtmasksurvey.com.

Contact:  Amy Hornblas; Vermont Mask Survey; P.O. Box 55; Marshfield, VT  05658