I am asking the Governor to not implement a mask mandate because doing so is not a task for this branch of the government. The General Assembly makes the laws and I would implore them not to implement this either based on the following in light of what is now known about COVID19 and the at-risk populations:  

1. The WHO has this current guidance:  “At the present time, the widespread use of masks by healthy people in the community setting is not yet supported by high quality or direct scientific evidence.”  This alone should be sufficient to guide decision making based on science.
2. There have been extensive randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies, and meta-analysis reviews of RCT studies which all show that masks and respirators do not work to prevent respiratory influenza-like illnesses or respiratory illnesses believed to be transmitted by droplets and aerosol particles. Two examples below:

Cowling, B. et al. (2010) “Face masks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review,” Epidemiology and Infection, 138(4), 449-456. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/face-masks-to-prevent-transmission-of-influenza-virus-a-systematic- review/64D368496EBDE0AFCC6639CCC9D8BC05

None of the studies reviewed showed a benefit from wearing a mask, in either HCW or community members in households (H). See summary Tables 1 and 2 therein.

Long, Y. et al. (2020) “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks against influenza: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” J Evid Based Med. 2020; 1- 9. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jebm.12381

“A total of six RCTs involving 9,171 participants were included. There were no statistically significant differences in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza, laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infections, laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, and influenza-like illness using N95 respirators and surgical masks. Meta-analysis indicated a protective effect of N95 respirators against laboratory-confirmed bacterial colonization (RR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.43-0.78). The use of N95 respirators compared with surgical masks is not associated with a lower risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”

3) Dr. Fauci himself stated that masks do not work and when he changed course, he didn’t say masks worked, he said a mask is SYMBOLIC - not based in science.