Full Story Evidence indicating that face masks can help control the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has grown since the virus first emerged, upending life around the world. In March, we outlined the evolving research on the efficacy of face masks and explained why experts support their use. But a stubborn thread of misinformation falsely claiming that masks do not work, and are actually dangerous, continues to be recycled and shared a year-plus into the pandemic. Viral headlines in recent days have wrongly purported that a “Stanford Study” proved that masks are ineffective and dangerous. In reality, the paper in question was one author’s hypothesis and didn’t come from anyone currently affiliated with the university.