Masking off-ramp coming soon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My preschooler is really struggling with having to wear a mask outdoors during recess. This article states: “The mask requirement doesn't apply when students and staff are eating, drinking or when they're taking "mask breaks," which may occur throughout the day. Those breaks are encouraged for when students are outdoors, like at recess, or when windows are open.”

Is there anything in VA that encourages taking masks off outdoors? This requirement is causing a lot of strife for my kid. My preschool is hung up on not being able to distance outside so must wear masks. Ugh!!!!!

APS doesn’t require masks outdoors

Not APS but a local preschool that is following state and local health guidance. That said, there are some APS schools that are requiring masks outdoors. ATS is one.

No they aren’t. My fourth grader at ATS is not required to wear one.

Interesting. Maybe it’s just my neighbors class then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just not that big a deal to wear a mask. I can't believe how overdramatic people are about it. It's not that big of an inconvenience. I wear one at work, my son wears one at school, he often forgets he even has it on and forgets to take it off when he gets home.

Try to imagine a world where not everyone has the same experience as you. Masking is very hard on my kids. Once these kids are eligible for the vaccine, things need to change. Everyone needs to start putting the risks in perspective. This is not 2020, we’ve come a long way and know a lot more. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/09/covid-19-vaccine-status-age-discrimination.html

Agree. It is a big deal for some people to wear a mask. I'm betting 90%+ of kids wouldn't wear one if they got rid of the mandate at the MS and HS level for vaccinated kids.

The promise to these kids was get vaccinated for a disease that they have a 0% risk with (not 0, but statistically 0%) and, in return, they get to go back to school normally return. We're there and things need to change for these kids. This is an endemic virus and we need to stop acting like cases matter.

If a kid wants to wear a mask, then they can wear one.

Yes by all means lets inject kids with something with no long term safety record to protect the adults.

Seems responsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just not that big a deal to wear a mask. I can't believe how overdramatic people are about it. It's not that big of an inconvenience. I wear one at work, my son wears one at school, he often forgets he even has it on and forgets to take it off when he gets home.

Try to imagine a world where not everyone has the same experience as you. Masking is very hard on my kids. Once these kids are eligible for the vaccine, things need to change. Everyone needs to start putting the risks in perspective. This is not 2020, we’ve come a long way and know a lot more. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/09/covid-19-vaccine-status-age-discrimination.html

Agree. It is a big deal for some people to wear a mask. I'm betting 90%+ of kids wouldn't wear one if they got rid of the mandate at the MS and HS level for vaccinated kids.

The promise to these kids was get vaccinated for a disease that they have a 0% risk with (not 0, but statistically 0%) and, in return, they get to go back to school normally return. We're there and things need to change for these kids. This is an endemic virus and we need to stop acting like cases matter.

If a kid wants to wear a mask, then they can wear one.

Yes by all means lets inject kids with something with no long term safety record to protect the adults.

Seems responsible.

APS MS and HS kids are already vaccinated (95% of 16-17 year olds). That ship sailed a long time ago here, as people here irrationally think COVID kills kids (more kids die annually from the flu).

It's time for the masks to come off at these schools.

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader doesn’t feel safe at school unmasked. They chose to eat outside alone (chilling out and watching YouTube) rather than unmask with someone else. Says they have plenty of other opptys to socialize, when masks are on. I hope masks stay for the duration!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doubt it. You could get 100% of kids vaccinated and the school board would say everyone has to wear masks to prevent breakthrough cases. The nightmare never ends.

This. The masks have become yard signs. Scientifically meaningless virtue signaling.

[Anonymous]

Just stop it with the anti masking and move to Florida or Texas if you want to live where Covid spreads freely and you have your "rights"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just stop it with the anti masking and move to Florida or Texas if you want to live where Covid spreads freely and you have your "rights"

Or you could move to England, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, certain areas of France or Germany, or certain areas of Spain soon (all with maskless schools for kids under 12).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grader doesn’t feel safe at school unmasked. They chose to eat outside alone (chilling out and watching YouTube) rather than unmask with someone else. Says they have plenty of other opptys to socialize, when masks are on. I hope masks stay for the duration!

Your 9th grader (who is most likely vaccinated) has an irrational fear that I'm sure you gave him. So sad that you're teaching him that vaccines don't work. He will most likely get exposed to COVID multiple times in his life because COVID will be here forever.

These Smart Restart kids are going to need counseling, especially any vaccinated child that doesn't feel safe eating inside. You remind me of the nuts on Neighbors Spreading Misinformation on COVID on Facebook, full of people who haven't eaten inside of a restaurant since February 2020. Who are these weirdos?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grader doesn’t feel safe at school unmasked. They chose to eat outside alone (chilling out and watching YouTube) rather than unmask with someone else. Says they have plenty of other opptys to socialize, when masks are on. I hope masks stay for the duration!

Your 9th grader (who is most likely vaccinated) has an irrational fear that I'm sure you gave him. So sad that you're teaching him that vaccines don't work. He will most likely get exposed to COVID multiple times in his life because COVID will be here forever.

These Smart Restart kids are going to need counseling, especially any vaccinated child that doesn't feel safe eating inside. You remind me of the nuts on Neighbors Spreading Misinformation on COVID on Facebook, full of people who haven't eaten inside of a restaurant since February 2020. Who are these weirdos?!?

Yes, there was the unhinged Smart Restart mom's post on AEM last week, saying her vaccinated daughter was scared to death to eat inside and ate in a room by herself. One comment suggested drinking a protein shake out of a straw and they were being serious (LOL).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grader doesn’t feel safe at school unmasked. They chose to eat outside alone (chilling out and watching YouTube) rather than unmask with someone else. Says they have plenty of other opptys to socialize, when masks are on. I hope masks stay for the duration!

For the duration of what? Until Covid disappears? Until 100% of people, including children, are vaccinated? Neither of those things are ever going to happen. There needs to be some metric or goal post for life returning to normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doubt it. You could get 100% of kids vaccinated and the school board would say everyone has to wear masks to prevent breakthrough cases. The nightmare never ends.

Such absurd melodrama. God help you when you actually encounter a REAL "nightmare" in your life. You'll crumble to dust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just not that big a deal to wear a mask. I can't believe how overdramatic people are about it. It's not that big of an inconvenience. I wear one at work, my son wears one at school, he often forgets he even has it on and forgets to take it off when he gets home.

Try to imagine a world where not everyone has the same experience as you. Masking is very hard on my kids. Once these kids are eligible for the vaccine, things need to change. Everyone needs to start putting the risks in perspective. This is not 2020, we’ve come a long way and know a lot more. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/09/covid-19-vaccine-status-age-discrimination.html

Really helpful stats and visuals/graphs in this article -- thanks PP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grader doesn’t feel safe at school unmasked. They chose to eat outside alone (chilling out and watching YouTube) rather than unmask with someone else. Says they have plenty of other opptys to socialize, when masks are on. I hope masks stay for the duration!

For the duration of what? Until Covid disappears? Until 100% of people, including children, are vaccinated? Neither of those things are ever going to happen. There needs to be some metric or goal post for life returning to normal.

Outside alone seems extreme. At least have some company outside? Otherwise some of this Covid anxiety seems like it's masking other issues.

[Anonymous]

you people who think vaccines are magic and all that's needed are living back in June 2021. Things have changed quite a lot since then or haven't you noticed. You need to adjust.

[Anonymous]

APS does not require masks outdoors. But many kids still wear them outside anyway.
For my unvaccinated elementary school kid— I’m glad they mask indoors. But for my vaccinated middle schooler— I’d be fine with 7th grade & up going mask free. 90%+ of them are vaccinated in Arlington.