Beckenham Conservative MP Bob Stewart has published another rather bizarre blog post, which raises more questions than it answers. Mainly, what is going on in Bob's brain?
Accompanied with a picture of himself apparently wearing an upside-down surgical mask, the MP claims masks are "hardly airtight" yet laments that he has to "rebreathe the same stale stuff" by wearing one.
He states a mask won't stop a floating virus entering the lungs- a true but fortunately imaginary scenario. He does concede that "if we want to stop spittle hitting other people when we talk, cough or sneeze...then [masks] might suffice to do that". Fortunately, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has a Q&A page to explain that is exactly how COVID-19 spreads.
Bob Stewart says he is awaiting the evidence. The WHO has a helpful document for those who wish to know the guidance, and the 80+ pieces of evidence considered- published 6 weeks before his post.
This wilfully ignorant talk is to be expected from the man who echoes Donald Trump, calling COVID-19 a "foul Chinese illness". Further echoes along this line:
- His calling a Spectator magazine editor "totty",
- Advocating torture, and
- Suggesting his "French speaking dogs" deserve freedom of movement with the EU (but not, apparently, French humans).
One final point: Bob Stewart said he has to "re-fix the damned thing" when he has to go on the bus or the Tube. It would be prudent he reads his own government's guidance not to re-use disposable masks, and perhaps consider wearing them the right way round.