10 May 2021

To mask or not to mask? The science and the politics of face coverings

Do masks actually protect against Covid-19? Why is there so little scientific evidence that they are effective? And how did a piece of health advice get so political? 

Face masks are one of the most fiercely contested issues of the last year, and a striking visual reminder that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. But do they actually protect against Covid-19? Why is there so little scientific evidence that they are effective? And how did a piece of health advice get so political?

On today’s podcast, the award-winning Channel 4 News FactCheck team takes us through the science behind the mask, and asks why a small bit of cloth has caused such furious debate.

Sources: Fox News, New York Times, Sky News, World Health Organisation