Vladislav Sobolev, the anti-masking group's founder, has repeatedly praised the anti-vaccination group on social media and during protests. (University of Guelph)Before COVID-19, anti-vaccination groups were making false claims that measles — a serious, vaccine-preventable disease — wasn't a major threat. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-vaccination and anti-masking groups have claimed that coronavirus isn't any more dangerous than other diseases, such as the flu. Anti-masking groups have seized upon that inconsistency and frequently cite public health officials from before the mask guidance changed. Like with hard-core anti-vaccination groups, people who are adamantly against masking "are a loud but typically smaller proportion of the population," Dubey said.

Source: CBC News July 27, 2020 08:01 UTC