Multiple blue states are reinstating mask mandates ahead of a surge of four viruses that some are calling a "quad-demic" — flu, COVID, RSV, and Norovirus.
According to the Daily Mail:
- RWJBarnabas Health, New Jersey's largest hospital system, announced Monday anyone walking through their doors needs a mask, possibly a hospital-supplied covering.
- Several counties in San Franciso began mask mandates last month that run through April 30, 2025.
- New York City officials last month recommended masks on public transportation.
"We know these viruses are coming. We see them increase every year," Dr. Joe Bresee, an infectious diseases expert, told DailyMail.com. "We are in store for increases in circulation in these four over the next couple of months and that would cause what we call epidemics."
COVID activity is "low" nationally but on the rise, with 4% infections in early November rising to 5.4% during the week of Dec. 7. Hospital admissions for flu-like respiratory illnesses jumped 14% in a two-week period through the week of Dec. 7, according to the report.
Regardless, research has shown the efficacy of masks to reduce the spread of COVID infections is largely a myth.
The Cochrane Institute published results of a study in January 2023 that found "uncertainty about the effects of face masks." Cochrane analyzed 78 global studies involving more than 1 million people.
"The pooled results … did not show a clear reduction in respiratory viral infection with the use of medical/surgical masks. There were no clear differences between the use of medical/surgical masks compared with N95/P2 respirators in healthcare workers when used in routine care to reduce respiratory viral infection," Cochrane's study found.