The “SARS-CoV-2 Incidence in K-12 School Districts with Mask-Required Versus Mask-Optional Policies — Arkansas, August-October 2021” study should be utilized by researchers as a “building block” study and should not carry the weight to drive public policy. It is considered low level research that utilized unreliable data points from community incidents and likely used the pooling PCR testing strategy to achieve its results. The study admitted not isolating and measuring other more effective mitigation controls as well.
 
This research team admitted the study’s limitations and in fact concluded that they could affect the study’s outcome to be null or invalid. These admissions drive the quality of the study’s results to be inconclusive at best and do not provide evidence-based science that should drive public policy. This type of study is typically considered a building block that requires more research.