The CDC and health department officials are carelessly threatening the safety of U.S. citizens by making unsubstantiated health recommendations. The CDC is recommending the use of cloth masks by healthy individuals while out in public claiming this will reduce the spread of coronavirus. I implore all citizens to join me and demand that our elected officials ignore the CDC and health officials and stop making this terrible recommendation. The CDC began recommending universal masks after determining that the virus can be spread by asymptomatic people. They provide no evidence showing masks are safe and effective in reducing cases of coronavirus. Our leaders in the government must notify all citizens that universal mask wearing has not been shown to reduce the spread of the virus and has serious health risks. Our government must stop violating our rights by creating mandates and laws forcing citizens to wear a mask. We need health officials to establish proper procedures and educate the public how to properly clean and sanitize masks to reduce the risk of contamination by those that still choose to wear them.

I fully support the right of every citizen to feel safe and choose to wear a mask. However state governments are now using the CDC recommendations to require the use of masks by everyone. Citizens unproven to be a health risk to anyone, are required to wear masks in order to enter retail establishments, buy groceries for their family, or use public transportation. Employees must sacrifice their health and safety in order to work due to mandates requiring masks be worn during the entire shift. These mandates have vilified those of us choosing not to wear masks in order to protect our health. We are harassed and verbally attacked in public and on social media.

Studies testing the efficacy of surgical and cloth masks worn by those positive for covid 19 revealed the masks did not trap the exhaled virus. The virus is able to pass through the mask into the air. The virus that is limited by the mask is not confined to the inside of the mask, but instead contaminates the outside. (https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2764367/effectiveness-surgical-cotton-masks-blocking-sars-cov-2-controlled-comparison)

Other studies revealed universal masks are ineffective due to the nature of the virus. The study had participants positive for coronavirus breathe into a device for 30 minutes without a mask. The device collected all respiratory aerosols and droplets that were exhaled. The majority of participants did not exhale any detectable virus and the positive samples contained a small viral load. This suggests that the risk of asymptomatic individuals spreading the virus to others in public is extremely low. Prolonged exposure is needed to increase the risk of transmission through respiratory shedding. The aerosols harbored more of the virus than the large droplets, which is significant because the purpose of wearing the cloth mask is to contain large respiratory droplets. (https://rdcu.be/b3OZa)

Cloth masks increase the risk of other viral and bacterial infections since they absorb moisture. A risk of carbon dioxide poisoning is a threat as well as a result of breathing through the mask for extended periods of time. Due to the very vague guidelines provided by the CDC on how to properly clean and sanitize a mask and how often to change them, people are wearing contaminated masks. In addition people are being advised to use materials such as socks or a cotton t-shirt which are unable to contain even the largest droplets.

I am alarmed by the recklessness of the CDC in making this recommendation. They clearly did not consider the health and well being of the citizens of this country when they made this decision. Universal masks have not been proven to curtail the transmission of the coronavirus and are dangerous to a person’s health. All over the country citizens are being denied their right to protect their own health and safety by this terrible and misleading recommendation for universal masks. I ask you to please sign this petition and demand our government leaders at the federal, state, and local level retract this dangerous recommendation