Twenty years ago Australians were prosecuted for saying masks work against viruses. Now they get arrested for not wearing masks during viral outbreaks.
— Tony Heller (@TonyClimate) January 23, 2023
As Mencken said, our governments are dishonest, insane and intolerable. @smh https://t.co/wIGcvbW2OH https://t.co/XWVIEoNlpy pic.twitter.com/coaGDxa1SZ
Australians Were Once Prosecuted For Claiming Face Masks Worked Against Viruses
Businesses faced £100k fines for making claim during SARS outbreak.
Australians who tried to sell surgical face masks on the back of claims they worked against viruses were once threatened with prosecution and massive fines by the government.
Yes, really.
An article titled ‘Farce mask: it’s safe for only 20 minutes’ published by the Sydney Morning Herald in 2003 explained how, “Retailers who cash in on community fears about SARS by exaggerating the health benefits of surgical masks could face fines of up to $110,000.”
The article quotes a public health experts who said that face masks are largely useless at stopping the spread of viruses and could even worsen the situation.
“Those masks are only effective so long as they are dry,” said Professor Yvonne Cossart of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Sydney.
“As soon as they become saturated with the moisture in your breath they stop doing their job and pass on the droplets.”
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