Michigan: Similar COVID-19 Case Rates in Schools With No Mask Mandates

The state of Michigan last week published data that shows schools with no mask mandates had "similar" COVID-19 case rates to schools with mandates.

The report, titled Michigan COVID Response Data and Modeling Update," examined COVID-19 data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Disease Surveillance System as recently as December 3^rd, of school students ages 5-18, according to theBlaze.

It stated that "case rates in 5–18-year-olds have become more similar across mask rule types."

TheBlaze adds that schools with few or no mask rules had fewer 7-day average cases per 100,000 students than schools with strict or partial mask rules, and that the report stated that "differences due to masking potentially being washed out by transmission in other settings."

However, the report did not elaborate further on why transmission rates, regardless of mask mandates, were similar.

A peer-reviewed study by researchers from the University of Louisville released in August had similar findings, concluding that "mask mandates and use likely did not affect COVID-19 case growth."

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