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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Jill Underly stated on April 11, 2021 in TV interview: For mitigating COVID-19 spread, “masks (are) the number one way to do so.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" mostly-true/4ac7c61540eff5211f6a04d98a6bc93a.jpg.\\") ![\\"mostly- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") * Children * Public Health * Wisconsin * Coronavirus * Jill Underly ![\\"Jerrilyn](\\" Jerrilyn Johnson of Racine and granddaughters Dalani Finley, 7, and Dailynn Finley, 10, are masked while out and about Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, the first day of Gov. Tony Evers\' mandate requiring them to be worn indoors. (Rick Wood/Milw. Journal Sentinel)l By D.L. Davis April 23, 2021 # Wisconsin schools leader on the mark with claim that masks are factor in mitigating COVID spread #### If Your Time is short * We could not locate a study that ranked the various methods for mitigating spread of the coronavirus. * But experts agree that mask wearing is a primary way to do so, albeit in conjunction with other steps, such as hand-washing, social-distancing and -- now that vaccines are available -- getting a shot See the sources for this fact-check More than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, debate remains around a central means of combating the spread of COVID-19: To wear or not to wear a mask. At least the debate still exists among the general public and some politicians. Science and public health experts have pretty much all come down on one side: Mask up. That’s where newly-elected Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly fell when asked for her opinion on school mask requirements during an interview April 11, 2021 on WISN’s \"UpFront.\" \"As far as mitigating spread, they say that masks is the number one way to do so,\" Underly said. \"And I feel that is, that\'s what we need to do to keep our buildings open. I think we should be wearing masks. But again, that\'s my recommendation, I believe in the science. But I do feel that each school district is going to have to make that decision for themselves.\" Underly made the comment at a point when thousands of students in Milwaukee Public Schools and the Madison Metropolitan School District were returning to the classroom, at least on a hybrid basis, for the first time since the pandemic began. Most other other districts in the state had been operating in person for months, some from the start of the school year last fall. Still, there has been pushback against the decisions, including by the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, the teacher’s union, which has questioned the safety of returning to in-person learning. Let’s focus on Underly’s claim about mask’s being the best way to mitigate COVID-19 spread. How does wearing masks rate? In February, we rated True a claim by Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, that \"we know mask mandates work. There’s enough evidence out there between counties that have done it and counties that haven’t.\" Nothing has changed since then in terms of the science behind the effectiveness of masks. But what about Underly’s claim that masks rank at the top of the mitigation list? When asked for backup for the claim, Erin Forrest of Underly’s transition team emailed a list of articles and studies related to the science behind masks, including a University of California San Francisco June 26, 2020 paper \"Still Confused About Masks? Here’s the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus\" and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration \"Face Masks, Including Surgical Masks, and Respirators for COVID-19.\" \"It’s also important to note that right now there is no vaccine approved for people under 16 years of age,\" Forrest said in an email to PolitiFact Wisconsin. But she did not cite any study that ranked the various methods for mitigating spread of the coronavirus. We could not find any either in our search. That said, experts agree that mask wearing is a primary way to do so, albeit in conjunction with other steps, such as hand-washing, social-distancing and -- now that vaccines are available -- getting a shot. Ajay Sethi, an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, told us wearing a properly fitted mask is \"imperative.\" \"Both masks and physical distancing are needed to interrupt transmission of the coronavirus in indoor environments,\" Sethi said in an email to PolitiFact Wisconsin. \"When food or drink is being served for consumption, then maintaining proper physical distance is imperative. When maintaining physical distance is challenging, then wearing a high quality, properly fit mask is imperative. Ideally, both wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing are being done together.\" #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Jeffrey Barke stated on August 23, 2024 in an Instagram post Food and Drug Administration approval for updated COVID-19 vaccines requires a public health emergency declaration. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • August 27, 2024 City of Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson told us: \"Masking is at the top of the list for the Milwaukee Health Department. Combined with vaccination, that is the best way to stop COVID.\" That point is echoed in numerous other places. Harvard Medical School puts mask wearing at the top of its list of steps individuals can take. Yale Medicine includes it on its list, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance April 6, 2021on improving the fit and filtration of masks that included this note: \"Correct and consistent mask use is a critical step everyone can take to reduce their risk of getting and spreading COVID-19.\" Finally, the World Health Organization, in a Q&A posted on its website, notes that \"masks are a key measure to suppress transmission and save lives.\" The website goes on to say: \"Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive ‘Do it all!’ approach including physical distancing, avoiding crowded, closed and close-contact settings, good ventilation, cleaning hands, covering sneezes and coughs, and more.\" Our ruling Underly said for mitigating COVID-19 spread, \"masks (are) the number one way to do so.\" Experts at the local, national (CDC) and international (WHO) level, all say that masks are vital to lowering the risk of spreading COVID-19. That said, they also note simply wearing a mask is not enough and that other mitigation strategies, such as vaccination, social distancing and hand washing are also important. And, for the most part, students cannot be vaccinated. The vaccines are only available to those 16 and older. We rate Underly’s claim Mostly True. PolitiFact: No, WHO didn’t just say you don’t need to wear a mask PolitiFact: Mask skeptics ask questions. PolitiFact answers PolitiFact: Masks for COVID-19 are effective, as a six-part Facebook takedown fails #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources WISN \"UpFront\" Jill Underly, April 11, 2021 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \"Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns statewide mask mandate, blocks Evers from declaring multiple emergency orders,\" March 31, 2021 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \"Wisconsin’s mask mandate is over. But if you’re in a Milwaukee area school you still need to wear one,\"April 5, 2021 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \"Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns statewide mask mandate blocks Evers from declaring multiple emergency orders,\" March 31, 2021 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \"These Wisconsin cities and counties have their own mask mandates,\" April 5, 2021 World Health Organization, \"Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Masks,\" Dec. 1, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \"Improve the fit and filtration of your mask to reduce the spread of COVID-19,\" April 6, 2021 University of California San Francisco, \"Still Confused About Masks? Here’s the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus, June 26, 2020 U.S. Food and Drug Administration \"Face Masks, Including Surgical Masks, and Respirators for COVID-19.\" Email, Ajay Sethi, epidemiologist and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, April 14, 2021. Email, City of Milwaukee Health Department, Kirsten Johnson, via spokesman Jeff Fleming, April 14, 2021. Email, Erin Forrest, Department of Public Instruction transition, April 23, 2021. ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by D.L. Davis slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" ![](\\" Paul Ryan stated on February 23, 2023 in TV interview: \"WOW county swing suburban voters (in Wisconsin) don\'t vote for Donald Trump.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • April 18, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on March 8, 2023 in Twitter: The money for upgrades to the Milwaukee Brewers stadium in Evers’ budget is \"a bipartisan plan.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • March 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Joan Ballweg stated on January 24, 2023 in Twitter: \"Wisconsin has seen over 63 billion dollars of federal pandemic-related funding funnel into our state over (Gov. Tony Evers\') tenure.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • March 14, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Robert Cowles stated on July 12, 2024 in Radio address: “The most recent State Budget increased funding for the Department of Tourism by 98 percent.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • September 16, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Joe Biden stated on May 16, 2024 in News release: \"The Trump administration handed out taxpayer dollars to a foreign company. Hundreds of homes and farms were bulldozed, and over $500 million in taxpayer dollars were wasted preparing for Foxconn.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • July 13, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Ron Johnson stated on April 15, 2024 in Podcast: \"Every Senate Democrat has voted to support unlimited abortions up to the moment of birth.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • May 17, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Lisa Subeck stated on February 16, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: “The United States is an outlier, one of only about half a dozen countries, without any guarantee of paid leave for new parents and/or other health care needs.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • April 16, 2024 ![](\\" new/e5f81dc43ebbfab7c9d9b56cfba2f398.jpg\\") ![](\\" new/9fbc38bd9f4148c4e7374ecdd8d95da4.jpg\\") Tammy Baldwin stated on February 1, 2024 in Facebook post: “Big drug companies charge as little as $7 for an inhaler overseas and nearly $500 for the exact same one here in the US.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • February 23, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Robin Vos stated on January 7, 2024 in TV interview: “The law in Wisconsin (on abortion time limit) is 20 weeks. That is way outside the international bounds.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • February 9, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Cindi Duchow stated on November 9, 2023 in Wisconsin Assembly: \"Unfortunately during COVID, the clerks in Madison and Milwaukee told their constituents that they were actually indefinitely confined and did not have to come and vote, which was incorrect.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • January 26, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Ron Tusler stated on September 12, 2023 in X, formerly Twitter: Wisconsin Republicans are backing “a nonpartisan redistricting plan based off the Iowa Model. ... Republicans, Democrats, and the Governor pushed this plan last time redistricting happened in 2020.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • December 8, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Rebecca Cooke stated on September 1, 2023 in X, formerly Twitter: \"Derrick Van Orden is one of the only members of Congress who participated in the deadly January 6th insurrection. He now serves in the building he tried to burn down.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • October 11, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" LaKeshia Myers stated on June 6, 2023 in News release: During the spring 2020 election in Milwaukee, a reduction to only five polling locations “came days before the election and was done without proper notice to voters.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • September 8, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kelda Helen Roys stated on April 26, 2023 in Twitter: Infertility is treated differently than other issues and \"often excluded from insurance coverage\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • May 26, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Robin Vos stated on March 9, 2023 in Podcast: “When a basketball player or football or baseball player from another team plays in Wisconsin, that one game\'s salary, they pay Wisconsin income tax on it. ... So, if for some reason we do not have the Brewers in Wisconsin all of those player salaries that generate dollars for the State of Wisconsin go away.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • May 12, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Paul Ryan stated on February 23, 2023 in TV interview: \"WOW county swing suburban voters (in Wisconsin) don\'t vote for Donald Trump.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • April 18, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on March 8, 2023 in Twitter: The money for upgrades to the Milwaukee Brewers stadium in Evers’ budget is \"a bipartisan plan.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • March 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Joan Ballweg stated on January 24, 2023 in Twitter: \"Wisconsin has seen over 63 billion dollars of federal pandemic-related funding funnel into our state over (Gov. Tony Evers\') tenure.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • March 14, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Robert Cowles stated on July 12, 2024 in Radio address: “The most recent State Budget increased funding for the Department of Tourism by 98 percent.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • September 16, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Joe Biden stated on May 16, 2024 in News release: \"The Trump administration handed out taxpayer dollars to a foreign company. Hundreds of homes and farms were bulldozed, and over $500 million in taxpayer dollars were wasted preparing for Foxconn.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By D.L. Davis • July 13, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Ron Johnson stated on April 15, 2024 in Podcast: \"Every Senate Democrat has voted to support unlimited abortions up to the moment of birth.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By D.L. Davis • May 17, 2024 ### Wisconsin schools leader on the mark with claim that masks are factor in mitigating COVID spread * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 21, 2024 in a video: Sen. JD Vance admitted he has a ‘rent-a-dog’ from the Trump campaign to make him “seem like a dog person.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 20, 2024 in an X post: First lady Jill Biden led a Cabinet meeting for President Joe Biden and her signature appears on presidential stationery. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 21, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on September 19, 2024 in a video: Video claims to show Donald Trump in an interview with Diddy ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 18, 2024 in X posts: “iPhones exploding in Lebanon blowing up random people.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on September 18, 2024 in a TikTok video: “Attorney General Merrick Garland just vetoed charging Ryan Routh with attempted assassination” of Donald Trump. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 14, 2024 in a Facebook post: \"Taylor Swift unexpectedly lost a $125 million brand contract after a massive advertising campaign” endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 12, 2024 in una publicación en Facebook: “Portugal lanza monedas de 7 euros para honrar al legendario futbolista Cristiano Ronaldo”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Marta Campabadal Graus • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on September 12, 2024 in a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina: Former President Donald Trump “started out with $400 million on a silver platter and then filed for bankruptcy six times.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Louis Jacobson • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 15, 2024 in posts: Ryan Routh\'s Instagram bio says he is a \"proud LGBTQ+ member\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 20, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Chiefs\' Coach Andy Reid criticizes Taylor Swift: ‘You’re not a good role model.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 20, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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For mitigating COVID19 spread masks are the number one way to do so