The warning tag on school masks upset some Collier County parents

COLLIER COUNTY

A Collier County school district face mask has upset some parents because of the warning in its tagline.

It states: “It does not prevent or eliminate exposure to any disease, infection or contagion.”

“Modern science says these masks were never designed to prevent the spread of disease, so I’m not surprised it’s there because it’s true,” said parent Chadwin Taylor.

“That’s why this tag exists; It is here because it does not help those things. This is a frightening ploy and a control ploy that is unthinkable in a free country. ”

But medical experts still emphasize the importance of wearing a mask. Robert Hawks, director of the Physician Assistance Program at Florida Gulf Coast University, says there are benefits to wearing a mask, and there are studies to prove it.

“They were able to use ultraviolet light, they were able to use laser light, and when people actually sneeze or cough, they were able to determine if it reduces the spread of the virus … it can usually go up to six feet without a mask or even larger,” Hawks said.

The school district, in part, said, “This is not a district denial. The manufacturer put the denial tag on the masks. This will not change our approach to tackling the epidemic. ”