Since August of 2021, Bloomsburg University implemented a non-constitutional mask mandate on the entire student body and faculty. The students here at the University are tired of complying with ineffective mandates that are not scientifically supported. The students here, including myself, have put up with the mandate for too long. We are standing up and asking policy makers to END THE MASK MANDATE at Bloomsburg University for students and faculty.

As of February 8, 2022, the University decided to close the weight room in the Student Recreation Center for two days because people refuse to suffocate on their masks while trying to exercise. This study shows that exercising with a mask on is highly detrimental to the respiratory system and can cause more harm than good (Chandrasekaran and Fernandes). If the University truly thought that COVID-19 was so serious, we would not be allowed to eat in groups of 6+ together at the dining hall. We are allowed to sit in groups within 4 feet of each other to eat without masks on, but as soon as we get up we are yelled at to put a mask on because of "health concerns".

A Harvard University study has also shown that those who exercise and get adequate nutrients from proper nutrition have a much lower rate of severe illness than those who do not (Goodman). By closing the weight room, we as students are being limited in our efforts to stay healthy physically and mentally.

Most businesses within a one mile radius of the University do not require masks. Those businesses have had no problems staying open and conducting business because they give people the freedom to choose to wear a mask or not. If you believe that you should be able to make decisions about your own body and health, I am asking you to please sign this petition.

This petition is directed to the policy makers of Bloomsburg University. As a student body, we are tired of being told to live in fear of a virus with a miniscule casualty rate for people ages 17-25 (CDC).  We are politely asking to have the mask mandates removed, and to give students and faculty the freedom to choose if they want to wear a mask or not.

Many states are now coming to realize the ineffectiveness of mandates and are currently deciding to do away with them (Ayyub). They are now allowing people to decide for themselves if they want to mask or not. As students of the University, we feel we should have a say in how we get to live our lives at the school we pay to attend.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin

A list of sources that back up the claims made in this petition are listed below:

Works Cited

Ayyub, Rami. “New Jersey, California among States Moving to Ease Mask Mandates as Omicron Ebbs.” Reuters, 8 Feb. 2022, www.reuters.com/world/us/new-jersey-delaware-end-school-mask-mandates-move-normalcy-2022-02-07/ Accessed 9 Feb. 2022.

CDC. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Feb. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-age.html

Chandrasekaran, Baskaran, and Shifra Fernandes. “‘Exercise with Facemask; Are We Handling a Devil’s Sword?’ – a Physiological Hypothesis.” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 144, Nov. 2020, p. 110002, 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110002.

Dixon, Bobie-Lee. “WHO: Wearing Masks While Exercising a Health Hazard.” CNC3, 4 Sept. 2020, www.cnc3.co.tt/who-wearing-masks-while-exercising-a-health-hazard/

Elias Alexander, Paul. “More than 150 Comparative Studies and Articles on Mask Ineffectiveness and Harms ⋆ Brownstone Institute.” Brownstone Institute, 20 Dec. 2021, brownstone.org/articles/more-than-150-comparative-studies-and-articles-on-mask-ineffectiveness-and-harms/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2022.

Godman, Heidi. “Harvard Study: Healthy Diet Associated with Lower COVID-19 Risk and Severity.” Harvard Health, 1 Dec. 2021, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/harvard-study-healthy-diet-associated-with-lower-covid-19-risk-and-severity

LifeSite. “47 Studies Confirm Ineffectiveness of Masks for COVID and 32 More Confirm Their Negative Health Effects - LifeSite.” Lifesitenews.com, 23 July 2021, www.lifesitenews.com/news/47-studies-confirm-inefectiveness-of-masks-for-covid-and-32-more-confirm-their-negative-health-effects/

Liu, Ian, et al. Evidence for Community Cloth Face Masking to Limit the Spread of SARS-CoV-2: A Critical Review. 2021.

Risch, Harvey, et al. “The Emergency Must Be Ended, Now ⋆ Brownstone Institute.” Brownstone Institute, 23 Jan. 2022, brownstone.org/articles/the-emergency-must-be-ended-now/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2022.

Stone, Mike. “Masks: What Does the Science Really Say?” ViroLIEgy, 20 Jan. 2022, viroliegy.com/2022/01/20/masks-what-does-the-science-really-say/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2022.