Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Newsmax that the scientific data, including 88 studies that he reviewed, does not support the idea masks are effective in warding off COVID-19 infection.
''I would point out that most of the countries in the European Union are not using masks either,'' Marshall, an obstetrician, said Tuesday on ''Greg Kelly Reports.'' ''The World Health Organization doesn't think that masks help children, and certainly people that have been vaccinated, or who already had the virus, there's no studies out there suggesting the mask would be a benefit.
''I even reviewed all 88 articles the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is citing as science, and really of the 88, two or three said maybe it helps a little bit. Several said it did not help at all.''
Amid the surging delta variant, the CDC issued new guidance on July 27 advising even people who are fully vaccinated to wear masks in public indoor settings, or if they are at increased risk of infection.
''Fully vaccinated people might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they are immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19, or if they have someone in their household who is immunocompromised, at increased risk of severe disease or not fully vaccinated,'' the CDC guidance said.
As of Aug. 23, US News and World Report said that 10 U.S. states and territories mandated masks for everyone, regardless of vaccination status: the District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington state.
California, Connecticut, Illinois and New York require masks for unvaccinated people, according to the report.
The World Health Organization suggests that ''masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress transmission and save lives; the use of a mask alone is not sufficient to provide an adequate level of protection against COVID-19.''
Marshall said he asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the president, and top experts at the CDC why they are not lifting restrictions on those that have had the virus and recovered.
''I think the natural immunity provides better protection of then the vaccines do,'' Marshall said. ''Our friends in Israel published a study last week that shows that natural immunity is probably 10 times better protection than the vaccines are, so natural immunity works, but it doesn't fit their narrative.
''They want to be in control of you. That's my only guess that I can figure out. It's shocking to me because, I'm all for saving lives, and if I knew it was going to save lives, I'd be all in.''
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