Written by Hudson Crozier

What’s happening: There are now signs that mask and testing mandates might make a comeback. COVID-19 cases are reportedly rising in the U.S., and health officials are tracking a new strain of the coronavirus called pirola. There are only a handful of reported pirola cases worldwide, so it’s unclear if this will happen on a large scale.

The possible signs: The Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs recently awarded millions of dollars to contractors for COVID-19 testing equipment and training. Alex Jones of Infowars claims that Border Patrol and the Transportation Security Administration will require employees to wear masks later this fall, citing supposed whistleblower information.

• In the private sector: A college in Georgia and the film studio Lionsgate in California implemented mask mandates this week.

Why it matters: Masks made “little to no difference” in reducing the spread of COVID, according to a scientific review from this year of dozens of studies. Plus, with the spread of natural immunity to the virus, it poses even less risk than before.

• Still: Much of this was known during the pandemic too, but mask mandates and even vaccine mandates were enacted by the government working in tandem with scientific institutions that lacked credibility and competence.