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FACT BRIEF

Does a study published by JAMA Pediatrics prove that face masks are dangerous for children?

By Dana Ford
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NO

Despite being published in a well-respected medical journal, the study has significant methodological flaws. Its findings run counter to established norms and recommendations about children and masks. Experts consulted by Lead Stories expressed serious concerns about the study.

The study said that children wearing face masks inhale unacceptable levels of carbon dioxide and, thus, shouldn't be forced to wear them. Both the study's conclusion and methodology have been questioned.

Eve Bloomgarden, one of the doctors who wrote a public response to the study and asked JAMA to retract it, told Lead Stories: "We always say that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and this is an extraordinary claim with no evidence."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 2 and up who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear masks to slow COVID-19. That's consistent with guidance from the CDC.

See a full discussion of this at Lead Stories
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Centers For Disease Control Your Guide to Masks
American Academy of Pediatrics Children Ages 2 and Up Who Aren’t Fully Vaccinated Should Continue to Wear Face Masks, the American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.