Mask of politics

THE wearing of masks is still being promoted by some people despite the mandates being dropped.

An interesting old news item recently came to my attention. In Australia’s New South Wales in 2003 the Fair Trade Minister threatened fines of up to $110,000 for any retailer promoting unrealistic protection claims for masks against the SARS outbreak. The minister’s action was based on a study from the Department of Infectious Diseases in Sydney which found that in as little as 15 minutes masks became useless as they were saturated with moisture from a person’s breath. How politics changes!

GEOFF MOORE, alness,

ross-shire.