Biden administration: Toddler mask mandate saved lives

Forcing two-year-old children to wear masks during the pandemic saved lives, claimed the Biden administration Tuesday.

The Health and Human Services Department (HHS) mandated masks for toddlers and up throughout the pandemic through Head Start, the department’s early childhood services program. Only in September 2022 did Head Start announce its intention to lift the HHS mask mandate for two-year-old children, many months after the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended against masks on children under five. 

In April 2022 when Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA) introduced legislation to force HHS to lift the toddler mask mandate, it was on the backs of school closures and lockdowns from which children are suffering immeasurably — and irreparably, say experts — to this day. 

Furthermore, just as there was no scientific justification for lockdowns or school closures, officials also did not bother offering scientific evidence to defend forced mask-wearing for children, the lowest-risk age group. 

There was, however, enough evidence to show that masks harm children’s development. In one study published last year, researchers at Ben Gurion University in Israel and Toronto’s York University found that masks have a devastating effect on children. Specifically, the study found that masks negatively impact children’s "ability to make social interactions with peers and educators, as well as their ability to form important relationships." 

Nevertheless, the HHS maintained the mandate for toddlers while lifting it for the infirm and elderly.

Even Congressmen Joyce and Miller-Meeks cited their own evidence against masks for children when they brought the legislation against HHS:

Studies conducted throughout the pandemic have shown that face masks are a debilitating learning barrier for young children. These early years are when kids learn to recognize facial cues, understand emotions, and speak and express themselves. Prolonged masking directly undermines a child’s early development skills, such as attachment, facial processing, and socioemotional processing, which can set them back for the rest of their life. Tragically, low-income students, students living in rural communities, and minority students are already the most likely to be negatively impacted by COVID-era mandates and lockdowns. The Head Start mandate serves only to exacerbate these existing disparities.

But Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra defended his decision to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Under questioning from Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Becerra first denied his department had forced “anyone to do anything” saying he merely published guidance.

“We never forced anyone to do anything, because we don’t have the jurisdiction or the guidance,” said Becerra. When further pressed by Kiley, the secretary clarified that he would only dispense funds to agencies that complied with the mandate and forced children to be masked.

“Mr. Secretary, did forcing 2-year-olds to wear masks save lives?” Kiley asked.

“Making sure people were masked when it was appropriate was essential to making sure we were able to get out of this pandemic,” Becerra responded.

“Right now, can you point to any evidence that there was a public health benefit to forcing young children to wear masks?” Kiley asked Becerra at the hearing.

“Well the fact that today we are not losing lives the way we lost them when we first got into this pandemic,” replied Becerra.

“And you think that’s because we forced two-year-olds to wear masks?” asked Kiley.

“That’s your interpretation,” Becerra responded. “What I’m saying to you is that using good policies that give us the precautions to keep our families from contracting COVID are helping save lives.”

Kiley then asked Becerra why he mandated masks for two-year-olds even after the mainstream media, globalist governments and the World Health Organization recommended against it.

“In retrospect, was it a mistake for the United States to defy the international norm on child masking?” asked Joyce.

Becerra answered, “The US had been working closely with our International partners and we have done more than any other country—”

“That's not what I asked you. I asked you was it a mistake to defy the international norm on the issue of child masking?”

“We continue to use all the best practices when it comes to making sure people take the precautions—”

“Is there a reason you're not answering my questions, Mr Secretary?”

“I'm answering the question as best I can because you keep phrasing questions that are already geared to get a particular answer,” said Becerra.