GOP Candidate Dan Forest Claims Science Doesn’t Back Up Masks On Same Day CDC Director Says Masks Could Be More Effective Than A Vaccine

Forest: “I don’t think that there’s any science that backs that up. That’s my personal opinion.”

Hours after CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield testified that masks could be even more effective than a vaccine at protecting against COVID-19, GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Forest said he doesn’t think there’s any scientific evidence backing up mask requirements in his “personal opinion.”

Contrary to Dan Forest’s “personal opinion,” there is a massive amount of scientific evidence showing masks do slow the spread of COVID-19. Scientific models project widespread mask use could save tens of thousands of lives, so it’s a good thing Forest isn’t actually in charge of a state.

Thankfully, North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is leading based on facts and science. Gov. Cooper has been following the advice of public health experts in his COVID-19 response and instituted a mask mandate back in June.

Forest also doesn’t believe in social distancing or any other COVID-19 precautions. If he were governor, Forest would strive for herd immunity, which would cost countless lives and has been debunked by public health experts as a viable strategy.  In the midst of the pandemic, Forest has returned to maskless in-person campaign events with no plans to stop because of public health and safety, saying “it will be a lot more of this.”

“Dan Forest would make a terrible governor,” said DGA National Press Secretary Jerusalem Demsas. “That’s my personal opinion.”