On Saturday night, former Fox News anchor and current podcast host Megyn Kelly reacted harshly to a viral video showing a toddler, apparently in New York, resisting an apparent day-care worker trying repeatedly to put a mask on his face.
Kelly tweeted simply, “This is So Wrong.”
This is SO WRONG. https://t.co/PVnhAr5zsH
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 18, 2021
Kelly has been harshly criticizing the use of masks on children for some time; most recently, after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) wore her “Tax the Rich” gown to the ultra-expensive Met Gala, Kelly tweeted, “A pathetic self-aggrandizing hypocrite. Meanwhile our kids are muzzled & six feet apart all day long while trying to learn but she & these other ‘Rules for Thee but Not for Me’ pols can parade around maskless & in top of each other at the Met Gala bc, SCIENCE.”
A pathetic self-aggrandizing hypocrite.
Meanwhile our kids are muzzled & six feet apart all day long while trying to learn but she & these other “Rules for Thee but Not for Me” pols can parade around maskless & in top of each other at the Met Gala bc, SCIENCE. https://t.co/soAcjWUjNs— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 14, 2021
She added, “Our 8, 10 & 11 yr olds are in masks ALL DAY at school. They eat lunch divided from the other kids by plexiglass — there is no conversation. These pics of these elitist snobs w/no masks, surrounded by crowds, eating & dancing the nite away — are INFURIATING.”
Our 8, 10 & 11 yr olds are in masks ALL DAY at school. They eat lunch divided from the other kids by plexiglass – there is no conversation. These pics of these elitist snobs w/no masks, surrounded by crowds, eating & dancing the nite away – are INFURIATING.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 14, 2021
Kelly has also criticized the idea of vaccinating children; on September 8, she tweeted, “L.A. parents – concerned about sticking your child w/an experimental vaccine? Too bad. You’ll have to do it if you want your, eg, 12-yr-old in school. And guess why? ‘A key constituency supporting the student vaccine mandate is the city’s teachers’ union.’”
L.A. parents – concerned about sticking your child w/an experimental vaccine? Too bad. You’ll have to do it if you want your, eg, 12-yr-old in school. And guess why? “A key constituency supporting the student vaccine mandate is the city’s teachers’ union” https://t.co/CqcIbw9Qyk
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 9, 2021
That same day, she also took aim at forcing children to wear masks, tweeting, “This is infuriating. Your kid has to wear a mask all day in school bc the teachers unions bullied the CDC into calling it a scientific necessity.”
This is infuriating.
Your kid has to wear a mask all day in school bc the teachers unions bullied the CDC into calling it a scientific necessity. https://t.co/LSlpPblDnL— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 8, 2021
The World Health Organization has advised against masking children five years old and younger, writing:
WHO advises that people always consult and abide by local authorities on recommended practices in their area. An international and multidisciplinary expert group brought together by WHO reviewed evidence on COVID-19 disease and transmission in children and the limited available evidence on the use of masks by children.
Based on this and other factors such as childrens’ psychosocial needs and developmental milestones, WHO and UNICEF advise the following: Children aged 5 years and under should not be required to wear masks. This is based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask with minimal assistance.
The Centers for Disease Control put forth a different position, stating:
Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Mask use is recommended for people who are not fully vaccinated, including children and staff. Children under 2 years of age should not wear a mask.
For a summary from late August as to how most Western European countries have not forced their young children to wear masks, see here.