The Mask Pushers Are At It Again: They Just Never Give Up, Do They?

My antennae are always on the lookout for any signs of a return to that dystopian world of community masking. As a staunch and longstanding critic of this ineffective and harmful ‘pandemic’ restriction, I have – over the last few weeks – been troubled by what seemed to be an increase in the number of TV images and social media pics where the protagonists are wearing a face covering. Surely, I wondered, our world cannot be losing its sanity again? Alas, three recent observations suggest that my fears may be justified.

First, the World Health Organisation (WHO) – that high-profile globalist mouthpiece – has just released a document titled ‘Public Health Social Measures Decision Navigator’ that claims to “help governments in navigating complex decisions… during health emergencies”. In actuality, what it does is to institutionalise community masking as a core response to future “public health events” (an intentionally vague term that could be translated as ‘anything the global elite opts to label as a threat’). So whether it’s a purported novel virus, a climate-related illness spike or pollution concerns, the advice will be to mask up.

Second, the mask crusaders embedded deep in the infection-control departments of our healthcare system are once again flexing their ideologically-driven muscle, as evidenced by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust requiring its staff, patients and visitors to wear a mask in several of its clinical departments (is it any wonder that satisfaction in the NHS is plummeting?)

Third, on October 21st 2025 at the UK Covid Inquiry, Professor Chris Whitty (the Chief Medical Officer during Covid) reflected that: “There could have been an earlier emphasis on wearing masks… if we were to re-run the scientific advice we’d have got to that place at a much earlier stage.”

What is really irksome about the pro-mask lobby is its total disregard for the pervasive harms associated with ubiquitous face coverings. Despite perceiving themselves as the virtuous ones who are ‘protecting others’ – a highly dubious claim, given masks’ lack of efficacy as a viral barrier – they apparently do not care that their obsession with hiding faces harms human beings in numerous ways. The imposition of face-coverings:

• Torments our elderly and confused residents in care homes, denying them the comfort of human connection during their final years of life;
• Stymies healthcare consultations, thereby compromising their effectiveness and acceptability;
• Re-traumatises many survivors of historical sexual and physical abuse, along with those with autism and mental health problems;
• Impairs our children’s intellectual and emotional development;
• Plunges millions of people with hearing difficulties into a social vacuum.

And let us not forget that the mask fixation is poisoning us all with micro-plastics and chemical additives via the ensuing contamination of our waterways.

So how can we push back against the mask mafia? As is the case with most of the net-harmful Covid responses, pointing to the scientific evidence is insufficient to shift their mindset; noncompliance seems the only effective option. Presently, there is no law compelling us to mask up, so when the guy at the hospital entrance asks you to don a face covering, it is legitimate to politely decline. As this can often feel awkward, particularly if the majority of others are acquiescing to the request, it is useful to prepare your responses beforehand so that you can come over as a courteous but assertive refuser. To illustrate, one such action plan could look like something like this:

HOW TO RESPOND IF ASKED TO WEAR A MASK:

1. Stay calm, stand tall, and say either: ‘I am unable to wear a face mask safely’ or ‘I don’t wear one, and I have good reasons not to do so’.
2. If the mask pusher talks about the safety of others, say ‘The better scientific studies, and most real-world studies, show that masks do not protect against viruses’.
3. If the mask pusher talks about the rules or regulations, say ‘Show me the law that says I must wear a mask’.
4. If you are attending for a hospital appointment, and the guy at the gate is refusing you admission, ask, ‘So, to be clear about this, are you denying me medical treatment?’

As with the raft of other authoritarian diktats that we are all currently enduring – such as, digital ID, escalating censorship, 15-minute cities and the erosion of cash transactions – the most effective way to kick-back against mask coercion is through visible dissent and non-compliance. There are far more of us (ordinary people) than there are of them (bossy elites), and they cannot impose these unwelcome – and often harmful – incursions into our day-to-day lives if a significant number of us say ‘no’. 

Dr Gary Sidley is a retired NHS Consultant Clinical Psychologist and co-founder of the Smile Free campaign opposed to mask mandates.