Why aren’t schools with high COVID rates masking?

[Anonymous]

Ironically, the families I know with Covid now were masking when they got Covid. So... go figure. I'm done with "trying to get to 0". Hospitalization and ICU is very low. THAT is what we need to keep in mind. This isn't March 2020.

[Anonymous]

Op here. My child is wearing a KN95. And plenty of other kids in the school are, but it’s the kids who aren’t, whose parents send them in sick, and who aren’t vaccinated concern me. I understand the political concerns about reinstating mask mandates but honestly isn’t the point that when there’s high transmission in a particular school you bring them back temporarily and then as cases lower you remove it? Like are we literally so dumb we can’t understand how to implement a protective measure when it’s warranted? Seems silly to have masked the kids for the better part of a school year when numbers were lower only to refuse to bring them back on a case by case basis in schools with High transmission because elected reps are more concerned with their re election than keeping kids safe and well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because most people have already had it. Because vaccines have been available to almost all age groups for a long, long time now. Because it’s generally mild for most people, particularly those who are vaccinated.

Perhaps most important, because we need to maintain some capital for requiring masks in the future if a variant emerges that is more harmful to children than this variant. It’s been over two years of disruption. It’s been, what, two months of kids being able to forego masks? Even here, most people don’t have the appetite for restrictions anymore, given the current conditions.

Masking in school reduces some transmission, but thinking that they’re incredibly effective is misinformed.

Please show me evidence for your last statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because most people have already had it. Because vaccines have been available to almost all age groups for a long, long time now. Because it’s generally mild for most people, particularly those who are vaccinated.

Perhaps most important, because we need to maintain some capital for requiring masks in the future if a variant emerges that is more harmful to children than this variant. It’s been over two years of disruption. It’s been, what, two months of kids being able to forego masks? Even here, most people don’t have the appetite for restrictions anymore, given the current conditions.

Masking in school reduces some transmission, but thinking that they’re incredibly effective is misinformed.

Please show me evidence for your last statement.

Please show me evidence that they ARE highly effective in K-12 school settings. The burden of proof is on the intervention.

OP, I understand that you're upset, but denigrating people doesn't help. And, as someone pointed out, the school with the highest COVID rate *is* masking. If you're hoping for a return to MCPS-wide mask mandates, you're unlikely to get one now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because most people have already had it. Because vaccines have been available to almost all age groups for a long, long time now. Because it’s generally mild for most people, particularly those who are vaccinated.

Perhaps most important, because we need to maintain some capital for requiring masks in the future if a variant emerges that is more harmful to children than this variant. It’s been over two years of disruption. It’s been, what, two months of kids being able to forego masks? Even here, most people don’t have the appetite for restrictions anymore, given the current conditions.

Masking in school reduces some transmission, but thinking that they’re incredibly effective is misinformed.

Please show me evidence for your last statement.

Please show me evidence that they ARE highly effective in K-12 school settings. The burden of proof is on the intervention.

OP, I understand that you're upset, but denigrating people doesn't help. And, as someone pointed out, the school with the highest COVID rate *is* masking. If you're hoping for a return to MCPS-wide mask mandates, you're unlikely to get one now.

Sure, here you go.

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/mask-mandates-cut-covid-19-spread-in-schools-studies-find/2022/03

I’m not some pro mask hack - I hate wearing a KN95 as much as the next person - but the Pediatrics Duke study shows that schools with universal masking had nearly 90 percent lower infection rates. That seems pretty convincing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child is wearing a KN95. And plenty of other kids in the school are, but it’s the kids who aren’t, whose parents send them in sick, and who aren’t vaccinated concern me. I understand the political concerns about reinstating mask mandates but honestly isn’t the point that when there’s high transmission in a particular school you bring them back temporarily and then as cases lower you remove it? Like are we literally so dumb we can’t understand how to implement a protective measure when it’s warranted? Seems silly to have masked the kids for the better part of a school year when numbers were lower only to refuse to bring them back on a case by case basis in schools with High transmission because elected reps are more concerned with their re election than keeping kids safe and well?

I feel bad for your kid. Kn95 all day? During crucial developmental years? I think you need a reality check. You can’t hide from covid. Kids are low risk. You can get vaccinated/boosted. If other people decide to vaccinate themselves or their kids that doesn’t affect you at all. People get to make their own risk analysis. My kids will never mask again. Neither will I.

[Anonymous]

That article was written prior to Omicron really kicking in and this new variant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because most people have already had it. Because vaccines have been available to almost all age groups for a long, long time now. Because it’s generally mild for most people, particularly those who are vaccinated.

Perhaps most important, because we need to maintain some capital for requiring masks in the future if a variant emerges that is more harmful to children than this variant. It’s been over two years of disruption. It’s been, what, two months of kids being able to forego masks? Even here, most people don’t have the appetite for restrictions anymore, given the current conditions.

Masking in school reduces some transmission, but thinking that they’re incredibly effective is misinformed.

Please show me evidence for your last statement.

Please show me evidence that they ARE highly effective in K-12 school settings. The burden of proof is on the intervention.

OP, I understand that you're upset, but denigrating people doesn't help. And, as someone pointed out, the school with the highest COVID rate *is* masking. If you're hoping for a return to MCPS-wide mask mandates, you're unlikely to get one now.

Sure, here you go.

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/mask-mandates-cut-covid-19-spread-in-schools-studies-find/2022/03

I’m not some pro mask hack - I hate wearing a KN95 as much as the next person - but the Pediatrics Duke study shows that schools with universal masking had nearly 90 percent lower infection rates. That seems pretty convincing.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/08/the-science-of-masking-kids-at-school-remains-uncertain.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/kids-masks-schools-weak-science/621133/

[Anonymous]

I have the same thought about my Daughter’s school. Bradley Hills us up to 55 cases in past two weeks, and still no universal masking. Boggles my mind. It is like they want everyone to get covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child is wearing a KN95. And plenty of other kids in the school are, but it’s the kids who aren’t, whose parents send them in sick, and who aren’t vaccinated concern me. I understand the political concerns about reinstating mask mandates but honestly isn’t the point that when there’s high transmission in a particular school you bring them back temporarily and then as cases lower you remove it? Like are we literally so dumb we can’t understand how to implement a protective measure when it’s warranted? Seems silly to have masked the kids for the better part of a school year when numbers were lower only to refuse to bring them back on a case by case basis in schools with High transmission because elected reps are more concerned with their re election than keeping kids safe and well?

I feel bad for your kid. Kn95 all day? During crucial developmental years? I think you need a reality check. You can’t hide from covid. Kids are low risk. You can get vaccinated/boosted. If other people decide to vaccinate themselves or their kids that doesn’t affect you at all. People get to make their own risk analysis. My kids will never mask again. Neither will I.

That is so selfish. School is not the same as going out to a bar or movie theater. Every kid deserves an in person education. Some kids are immunocompromised, high risk for complications or live with family members who are high risk. We need to be thinking of them too, and when there are huge surges like this we absolutely as a community should be putting the masks back on in an effort to do our best to protect our vulnerable kids/families who deserve to keep going to school in person too just like everyone else. I initially didn’t make my daughters mask when the mandate dropped and numbers were low, but now they are back on to protect them and everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child is wearing a KN95. And plenty of other kids in the school are, but it’s the kids who aren’t, whose parents send them in sick, and who aren’t vaccinated concern me. I understand the political concerns about reinstating mask mandates but honestly isn’t the point that when there’s high transmission in a particular school you bring them back temporarily and then as cases lower you remove it? Like are we literally so dumb we can’t understand how to implement a protective measure when it’s warranted? Seems silly to have masked the kids for the better part of a school year when numbers were lower only to refuse to bring them back on a case by case basis in schools with High transmission because elected reps are more concerned with their re election than keeping kids safe and well?

I feel bad for your kid. Kn95 all day? During crucial developmental years? I think you need a reality check. You can’t hide from covid. Kids are low risk. You can get vaccinated/boosted. If other people decide to vaccinate themselves or their kids that doesn’t affect you at all. People get to make their own risk analysis. My kids will never mask again. Neither will I.

That is so selfish. School is not the same as going out to a bar or movie theater. Every kid deserves an in person education. Some kids are immunocompromised, high risk for complications or live with family members who are high risk. We need to be thinking of them too, and when there are huge surges like this we absolutely as a community should be putting the masks back on in an effort to do our best to protect our vulnerable kids/families who deserve to keep going to school in person too just like everyone else. I initially didn’t make my daughters mask when the mandate dropped and numbers were low, but now they are back on to protect them and everyone else.

At least until they're out of line of sight...

[Anonymous]

Because teachers and admins are over parents. They are over this year in general.

They want the end of the year to be here so they can take a much deserved break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why schools with high COVID case rates aren’t implementing universal masking. Seriously, WTF. Our school has over 5 percent and only a few impacted classes are masking. I have a vulnerable kid and a newborn at home. I don’t understand why we have a known, simple, low cost public health tool that can protect kids and families, reduce learning loss, keep people healthy, and reduce health care costs that is not being employed. Who can we advocate to about this ridiculousness? I don’t want COVID ripping through my family and don’t understand why the schools aren’t doing this?

OP we have a vulnerable family like yours and the VA has been really great for us. I knew last summer I couldn’t trust MCPS to keep my family safe. Just something to consider for next year. I know of other families who have pulled their kid at lunch and had them wear a KN95 at all other times and it seems to be ok for them so far. They say that even when masking was required the compliance and quality of masks really varied.

This. I don’t get the complaining when it’s been an issue all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child is wearing a KN95. And plenty of other kids in the school are, but it’s the kids who aren’t, whose parents send them in sick, and who aren’t vaccinated concern me. I understand the political concerns about reinstating mask mandates but honestly isn’t the point that when there’s high transmission in a particular school you bring them back temporarily and then as cases lower you remove it? Like are we literally so dumb we can’t understand how to implement a protective measure when it’s warranted? Seems silly to have masked the kids for the better part of a school year when numbers were lower only to refuse to bring them back on a case by case basis in schools with High transmission because elected reps are more concerned with their re election than keeping kids safe and well?

I feel bad for your kid. Kn95 all day? During crucial developmental years? I think you need a reality check. You can’t hide from covid. Kids are low risk. You can get vaccinated/boosted. If other people decide to vaccinate themselves or their kids that doesn’t affect you at all. People get to make their own risk analysis. My kids will never mask again. Neither will I.

No, only now when the school has upwards of 5 percent infection. I’m all for taking them off when infection rates are high. But my child has lung damage from contracting RSV as an infant and asthma so respiratory infections are always incredibly severe and cause difficulty breathing. I’m far less concerned with my kid being inconvenienced by a mask for a few weeks while this wave spreads than the poor outcomes we might experience if we get COVID. And yes, peoples choices do affect other people. That’s how vaccines work. I don’t know you or your kids but I will vaccinate myself and my family for our own protection and yours because I believe it’s socially responsible to do everything I can for others to protect them. I see vaccination as a moral responsibility, and a civic duty. I’m sorry you don’t feel the same way but I’ll still do the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Sorry meant to say I support mask removal when rates are low.