Masks in schools were not effective in preventing the number of COVID-19 cases in schools, a Research Square study found.

The study focused on two school districts in the 2021-2022 school year from Fargo, North Dakota, one with a mask mandate and one without in fall 2021. North Dakota Fargo Public Schools and West Fargo Public Schools had different policies, but there was “no significant difference” between the rate of cases among students in each school, the study found.

Both school districts had optional mask mandates during the winter of the 2021-2022 school year, but there was no noticeable difference between the rate of cases between the schools, the study showed. Having similar mask standards in the winter should have shown any “major confounding effect” the masks had in the schools.

The school districts are adjacent to each other and have similar demographics, as well as COVID-19 vaccine rates, the study revealed. The study is yet to be peer-reviewed but is supported by research from medRxiv and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Our findings contribute to a growing body of literature which suggests school-based mask mandates have limited to no impact on the case rates of COVID-19 among K-12 students,” according to the study.

Mask mandates in schools have been a discussion among schools as a private school in Sterling, Virginia, implemented a mask mandate for students two-years-old and up in February 2022. Parents expressed concerns that their students were falling behind as a result.

Research Square and the schools did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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