Rand Paul: ‘Not a Great Deal of Evidence’ Mask Mandates, Shutdowns Helped

Friday on FNC’s “Fox & Friends,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) commented on his back and forth with “government worrywart” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical advisor. Paul and Fauci argued the day before about the purpose of masks among those who have already received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Paul, a physician, emphasized during his interview that there is “no science” showing someone can get the coronavirus after receiving the vaccine. He also said there is “not a great deal of evidence” that mask mandates or economic lockdowns helped mitigate the spread of the virus, arguing the best way to combat the virus is with the vaccine.

“I think it depends on the risk factors,” Paul said when asked about the efficacy of masks among those who have not received the vaccine. “If they’re a kid, the risk factor of getting this and dying from this is virtually zero, and so I’m not a big fan of having kids wear masks. I think it’s to each his own. If you want to send your kid to a school, if they say wear a mask, do it. If you want to send your kid to a private school, and they don’t wear a mask, I think that’s also fine. I think the risk factors are things that individuals in a free society should decide for themselves.”

“If you look at all the mask mandates throughout the country, when we instituted the mask mandates, the incidence of the disease went up, particularly in December and January. As we went up exponentially, as a rise in infections occurred, everybody was wearing masks,” he added. “So, there’s not a great deal of evidence that mask mandates or economic lockdowns have changed the trajectory. The only thing that’s changing the trajectory is the vaccine. So, that’s why I don’t think people should be tricked into thinking the mask is the answer. The vaccine actually is the answer, but the mask really isn’t an answer. We’ve had rampant infection with everybody wearing masks.”

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