Nothing crumbles at all. The lengths some will go to in trying to discredit a good man like Fauci by stating the obvious is staggering.

These measures were introduced at the very start of the pandemic when doing something, anything at all, to try to calm public anxiety was needed.

It was the WHO who led the move to social distancing and mask wearing. Social distancing was seen as common sense, not something scientifically proven. Although attempts were made to try to authenticate it. Mask wearing had started in areas of the Far East which had suffered from the SARS outbreak so following that lead offered comfort to people.

This was all done to try to hold the line until the virus was better understood, vaccines developed and a more permanent solution found. Lockdowns were the next stage when it was shown to be necessary to contain the virus.

Fauci was the public face of these measures in the USA but he was not alone. Similar strategies were adopted in many other developed countries.

We can all use hindsight but faced with the unknown and the need to reassure I can fully understand why this was done.m

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Right on que

Give it a few years and it'll be "lessons learned" and that somehow it was all the fault of "conspiracy theorists" that the response was made up.

Red and Blue Army!

To learn lessons is why we are holding such an extensive enquiry. Which should ensure we are better prepared if it happens again.

The government, on the advice of its most senior advisors on health and on social behaviour, decided on a course of action. Partly to reassure, partly because maintaining distance from others and wearing masks to limit the spread instinctively looked sensible precautions. None of this had a negative impact on children or the vulnerable. Nor was it lying. It was the best advice available at the time. It made people feel something was being done that they could participate in. That indeed was treating them as adults which alone made it worthwhile.

It was the lockdowns which were a much more difficult judgement call because these would always have both positive and negative implications. Which people were always going to disagree about, depending on their personal points of view and priorities. As quite obviously continues today. Only the government though can actually make the decisions. So they did.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

What possible harm could befall a child from wearing a mask? Doctors and nurses do it all the time. They do so to protect the health of others from any infections they might have. Are they all idiots?

I am so glad you aren’t in government making these kinds of arguments, although I don’t think you would find much support there. I won’t open another argument with you over the undoubted benefit of the vaccinations versus the tiny risks involved. I am just glad that, despite all the scurrilous negative propaganda that’s doing great harm to the confidence that people have in them, those who think like you remain a small minority. So nothing will change.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

There have been reported studies that psychological symptoms like anxiety and stress as well as concentration and learning problems due to wearing a mask.

Not to mention the lowering of immune systems by not picking up colds and flus throughout the year that we would normally catch that strengthens our immune systems. The masks don't work anyway so I guess this would not be such a huge impact.

Regardless I'm glad I and my family opted out of mask wearing.

I must confess a guilty pleasure of late. Whenever I pass someone wearing a mask these days I start "coughing" I know I should stop as more likely than not they have mental illness.