Is it appropriate for children to wear masks at school? Despite arguments from experts, some states have banned the requirements.

Is there an effect on the mask requirements? While some jurisdictions have banned schools from forcing students to wear masks, experts believe it's a good idea.

Children under 12 are still not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. And just in time for the start of the school season, the hugely contagious delta version of the coronavirus is causing an increase in coronavirus cases in children.

The good news is that experts agree on how to make schooling safer for students and teachers: adults and older children should be vaccinated and everyone should wear masks.

However, in many schools they are not compulsory and many states say they cannot, even if the administration and parents wish.

What should a parent do?

Even though not everyone wears masks, it works.

Research from the previous school year shows that wearing a mask is an effective prevention method, according to a study released in July by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the CDC has found that with the irregular use of masks, outbreaks can occur.

With the increase in the delta variation, this will be even more relevant this year.

School mask rules have been lifted in most states, but local districts are still free to adopt them as they see fit. Twelve states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have banned the use of masks in schools, and that number has increased over the past week.

In nine states, school districts are not allowed to promulgate warrants. The Texas ban is temporarily blocked by the courts.

Wearing a mask provides immediate protection. It can protect a person from illness even in situations where not everyone wears masks, such as in schools where masks are not mandatory.

Is wearing a mask compulsory for everyone? Why does the CDC's new mask recommendation apply to people who have been vaccinated?

Texas Children's Hospital chief medical officer Dr James Versalovich compared it to a bicycle helmet. "We wear objects on our bodies that can temporarily interfere with our hearing or our vision, but we do so because these things protect us and protect us."

According to Versalovich, the delta version is currently responsible for more than 90% of COVID-19 infections in young people. He fears that more young people will be admitted to hospital in the coming weeks.


Children who develop COVID-19 may show symptoms of acute infection, but the long-term effects of COVID-19 are more concerning. COVID-19 is expected to cause chronic symptoms in 10% of affected children, including heart problems, poor lung function, and behavioral or functional disturbances.

According to a recent Axios-Ipsos poll, 69% of Americans believe schools should force all children and school staff to wear masks as the number of such cases is on the rise. Another RAND Corp. A survey released in May showed rural and white parents are more likely to want schools to drop COVID-19 precautions such as disguise, while parents of color and urban parents are more likely to want them to stay in their place.

In recent weeks, passionate and angry parents have called school council meetings across the country to advocate for or against mask laws.

When the Michigan Board of Education met earlier this month to approve a resolution supporting individual school decisions on mask requirements, one parent said, “I myself have lost faith in the public school system. "

"It's a matter of life and death," replied Mike Siegel, lawyer and former Democratic candidate for Congress and father of two elementary school students in Austin.

After increasing cases of illness and breakouts on campus, leaving thousands of students in isolation, several counties have begun to ignore state restrictions on the use of masks.

And the politicians who insisted on the bans are taking action.

The Florida Board of Education, for example, decided Tuesday to condemn two counties - Alachua and Broward counties - for refusing to allow parents to waive mask rules. It is not clear exactly how the ridings will be punished, but the vote is taking place for the first time. Ron DeSantis' administration has taken action against schools for violating the ban on such requirements.

Meanwhile, Arizona-based Governor Doug Ducy is launching two grant programs to encourage parents and schools to oppose mask rules. A proposal would only allocate money to counties that "comply with all government regulations," including a ban on wearing masks.

Adults can use vaccines to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19.

As schools reopen, it's important to remember that children are less responsible for the spread of COVID-19 than adults. According to data obtained when schools opened in 2020, adult-to-adult transmission is at higher risk than adult-to-child transmission. According to some studies, COVID-19 appears to spread more easily among adolescents than among elementary school students.

This science focuses on vaccines for those who meet the criteria. Minimizing referrals from teachers and parents will help schools stay open.

Vaccines are currently not available for young children: Some parents give their young children the COVID-19 vaccine, but experts warn it is "risky."

“Since schools are the hub of many different families, the fall and winter impact of any (school) epidemic will largely depend on the number of adults vaccinated in the wider community,” USA TODAY Bill said. Hange, professor of epidemiology at Harvard University. ...

So far, only Washington, Hawaii, California, and the District of Columbia have mandated vaccination for teachers. Vaccinations are mandatory for adolescents 12 years of age and over attending face-to-face classes in Puerto Rico.

A dozen states have banned schools or employers from requiring vaccinations. In four other states, vaccination restriction bills have been passed by a chamber of the legislature.

The National Education Association, the country's largest teachers' organization, in mid-August approved rules for vaccinating teachers, as well as requiring regular testing for the coronavirus for those who choose not to get tested. get vaccinated.

“Guardians of children, all adults and instructors should understand their responsibility to immunize their children,” Versalovich said.

Can a COVID vaccine be required? A motion by Indiana University students to end the vaccine was rejected by the Supreme Court.

According to the CDC, half of all Americans are fully immunized, but in some places the rate is much higher and in others it is much lower.

Is it safe to send children to school with or without masks?

As the pandemic has shown that children do better in the classroom, public health experts recommend that schools do their best to provide private lessons.

Unfortunately, according to the CDC, when transmission rates are high in an area, COVID-19 is more likely to spread in schools, and much of the country has returned to those levels.

According to Versalovich, if a child has been exposed to COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19, parents should keep them at home. It also invites parents to discuss best practices for reducing the spread of the virus with their children.

Social distancing and proper cleanliness are two effective mitigation methods. And then there is the disguise.

Dr Chad Perlin, president of pediatric specialists at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, advises parents to be careful not to worry about putting their children back to school. Perlin believes education is essential for a child's mental and emotional growth.

For the same reason, some parents oppose the demands of the school mask.

“The question is often asked: 'Is it natural for children to wear masks at school? "Perlin said," And the obvious answer is no. "However, the protection that masks offer to limit the spread of disease is extremely valuable."

According to experts, the advantages of wearing masks far outweigh the disadvantages. For example, wearing a mask does not interfere with breathing, Perlin said.

“There has been a lot of debate about whether the masks are producing high levels (of carbon dioxide) and whether this is affecting children throughout the epidemic,” Perlin said. “We know for sure that masks worn by children and adults do not significantly increase CO2 emissions. levels ".

He went on to say that wearing a mask does not affect cognitive functions or brain growth. The side effects of COVID-19 are significant, including brain inflammation and weekly periods of mental fog that have been seen in COVID-19 cases over long distances.

Perlin advised parents to schedule Zoom dates for their children at the start of the school year so they can chat and date without masks.

He also encouraged parents or instructors to create a “smile button” for students, which is a photograph of the child's face attached to their clothing so others can see through the mask.

“Ideally, a child should not wear a mask when playing, laughing or interacting with other children. “However, I think we will see this in the next few months,” Vasolovich said. "I am optimistic that we will reach the end of the school year."