There are not ‘endless studies’ showing that masks prevent the spread of covid. List a few, if you have them. I’m happy to look at them. I listed three.

Vaccines do not prevent infection. In fact, the UK HSA statistics indicate greater infection rates among vaccinated than unvaccinated, worryingly.

I know it’s an evolving landscape, and I may not have made the same arguments a year ago either. We have what we have : omicron, which easily evades vaccines, is not usually severe, and is spread regardless of masks mandates.

Endless studies available online point to mask wearing as decreasing likelihood of transmission via airborne particles. I really don’t have the time to endlessly point that out.

Vaccines reduce the likelihood of getting infected, and reduce the chance of serious illness if you are infected. Again, plenty of resources available talking to that very point.

If you go around saying that masks don’t do anything, then I will continue to treat your argument with contempt. You are grouped with those that say it’s like a common cold.

Should we still insist on masks in Bermuda schools at this point? Probably not on balance, but I would not have argued that point 12 months ago.

See, it’s an evolving landscape. But you know this already.

In its Omicron variant, it is about as dangerous as a bad flu. In fact, in the UK for example, excess deaths have this year run at about 10% lower than usual for this time of year, because Omicron is causing fewer deaths than the usual winter respiratory viruses.

Safekey, etc, would have a place if vaccines prevented infection. They don’t, so Safekey essentially does nothing to protect people.

Masks. The fact is, there are no studies that credibly show that wearing masks prevent covid spread. If you can find them, list them.
DANMASK study = no benefit

Bangladesh= the cluster trial that I “heard about in a email” according to you = no benefit.

UK government study in children, in schools = no benefit.

And that’s where we are. You can call people stupid conspiracy theorists because you’re safely sitting behind a keyboard. The fact is, a lot of the time, you really don’t know what you’re talking about.

A quick look on the internet today from news sources around the world, suggests that many places are not on the backside of COVID and, to the contrary, are seeing an explosion of cases, severe illness and death.

However, when you say or argue that “it’s just like a common cold”, or “it’s no worse than flu” or that “masks don’t do anything to prevent spread of COVID”, then you are very stupid, dangerously misleading and you devalue your argument. You might as well say the whole thing is a conspiracy.

Ask me if I think mask mandates should be dropped now? Different question entirely.

I note you use of the phrase “credible randomised cluster trials”, suggesting that you will only accept tests that meet your criteria, not that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Health Service or Health Canada

The “swiss cheese” analogy is nonsense.

There is something more going on here. Is the teacher’s union pushing for masking kids? That would add-up given the timing of the move to phase 1 and the disaster with school reopening.

The Minister would not disclose any targets or metrics the Island might meet in order to lessen restrictions on school children, which include: wearing all mask all days while indoors from age 4 up, no singing, no assemblies, single class bubbles, no cooperative play, parallel play only, no woodwind or brass instruments, no sports days, intramural or inter-school sports, no graduation ceremonies, no field trips or excursions, no school photographs, no extra-curricular activities, no birthday parties and no end of year events.

The Pandemic is now a Pandemic of the Politicians.

Look at Britain, they relaxed all restrictions because Boris got caught having parties. He came to the right decision, but for all the wrong reasons.

The US Administration is now saying “The Science Has Changed” and are now saying restrictions should be removed because they know they are about to be SLAUGHTERED in the mid terms and are desperate to salvage some sort of political support.

Canada has stepped up and said “Enough is Enough” and despite efforts by the government to take gas from the truckers etc the courts are siding with the protestors and have ordered the police to return it.

The tide is turning and history will judge the actions of the politicians who are holding on to COVID as a means of holding on to political power badly.

Simple internet searching will reveal a plethora of studies to the contrary.

“The evidence is clear that the Omicron variant is currently disproportionately affecting children.” Is it? Is this in any way true? What do the parents of kids testing positive say?

69 incidences of TWO or more kids testing positive over 14 months ACROSS all Bermuda’s schools. Is this a crisis?

‘Multiples’ of children needing to go to the Emergency while testing positive? Multiples? Is this 0 multiplied up to 1? 2 kids multiplied up to 4? Who knows? Not this Minister.

What we do know, however is that masking children in school has obvious harmful effects on their ability to concentrate, communicate, and learn.
We also know that, for children particularly, omicron causes very mild symptoms.

The masking of children in schools should never have happened.

are these people really concerned about the children or are they solely focused on this one?