MCPS and. Masking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else shaking their head at MCPS’’s use of masking as a preventive measure? My ES kid sneezed several times and has some sniffles and was asked to wear a mask the remainder of the day. There have been a few cases of COVId at our school but I’m surprised MCPS is still holding onto masking. My kid has allergies and doesn’t have Covid, so I’d really like to understand the criteria MCPS is using to make a decision like they did today. Oh wait they have none. Utterly ridiculous.

No. If it's an infectious illness, then wearing a mask seems quite reasonable.

Next time, tell your kid to say it's allergies - assuming it is allergies.

Good plan to teach your kids to lie. Mcps should send sick kids home.

White lies. My kids know how to use them appropriately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People brag about “not testing and not telling.”

And even before Covid parents often sent in sick kids. They still do.

There is an uptick of Covid cases detected through wastewater because few are testing.

Schools cannot have an accurate number of cases because few parents report.

Which bring us to OP’s kid having objective signs of illness.

OP treat the allergies.

Op here--yes he takes daily medication for it and when the season changes they tend to get worse. In fact, there was just an article in the NYT that fall allergies are expected to be worse this year due to warming trends, climate change so for some people, sneezing and coughing during certain times of the year is just a fact of life and not covid.

If I were you, I would send a short email to the teacher, to say that the kid's symptoms are from allergies, and to reassure the teacher that when the he is actually sick, you will keep him at home. That would allay the teacher's concerns about infection and your concerns about wearing a mask when it's allergies, so it's a win-win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else shaking their head at MCPS’’s use of masking as a preventive measure? My ES kid sneezed several times and has some sniffles and was asked to wear a mask the remainder of the day. There have been a few cases of COVId at our school but I’m surprised MCPS is still holding onto masking. My kid has allergies and doesn’t have Covid, so I’d really like to understand the criteria MCPS is using to make a decision like they did today. Oh wait they have none. Utterly ridiculous.

That's ridiculous. Teach your kids to politely decline.

That is much easier said than done. You know the teachers hold all of the power in the class and kids are generally afraid to decline a teacher request. Most kids want to please their teachers and we have always taught them to do and follow directions. So this is why as parents we need to step in and advocate for our kids.

This is the funniest thing I've read all day.

[Anonymous]

I wish people understood that when you tell people that they should keep children home with any symptom, no matter how mild, or that any amount of infectious illness in schools is unacceptable, you pretty much guarantee that people will lie, not test, medicate to mask symptoms, etc. Because a zero tolerance policy for cold/allergy symptoms in schools would basically mean we shut down schools. There would be not point in keeping them open because there would be so few children to attend them.

If you want to propose COMMON SENSE policies to prevent the spread of those viruses that pose the biggest threat (RSV, flu, and at least for now, Covid) then do so. Any such policy should be targeted to impact only kids with testing positive for one of those viruses and should seek to balance the need for kids to be in school with the need to reduce the incidence of these viruses in schools.

Asking children who don't have one of those viruses, especially a child who has allergies, to mask "just in case" is not a common sense solution. Indefinite and arbitrary masking in schools was a failed policy, it will not be reinstated. Voluntary masking for people who wish to do so (and making sure people who want to mask have access to good quality, well-fitting masks) is where we're at. Not forced masking of people who aren't even positive for an airborne virus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish people understood that when you tell people that they should keep children home with any symptom, no matter how mild, or that any amount of infectious illness in schools is unacceptable, you pretty much guarantee that people will lie, not test, medicate to mask symptoms, etc. Because a zero tolerance policy for cold/allergy symptoms in schools would basically mean we shut down schools. There would be not point in keeping them open because there would be so few children to attend them.

If you want to propose COMMON SENSE policies to prevent the spread of those viruses that pose the biggest threat (RSV, flu, and at least for now, Covid) then do so. Any such policy should be targeted to impact only kids with testing positive for one of those viruses and should seek to balance the need for kids to be in school with the need to reduce the incidence of these viruses in schools.

Asking children who don't have one of those viruses, especially a child who has allergies, to mask "just in case" is not a common sense solution. Indefinite and arbitrary masking in schools was a failed policy, it will not be reinstated. Voluntary masking for people who wish to do so (and making sure people who want to mask have access to good quality, well-fitting masks) is where we're at. Not forced masking of people who aren't even positive for an airborne virus.

It won't be reinstated because it was never instated in the first place.

Masks at school for kids who are at school with allergies? That does not make sense. Masks at school for kids who are at school with communicable diseases? That does make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--my principal said this was not the policy and she would talk to the staff member who asked him to mask. She said kids don't need to mask for coughs or sniffles and yes, I did explain allergies and he isn't sick. also, we tested him for covid and he's negative so to mask for something that isn't related to covid is insane. I'm glad I made the principal aware and she agrees that this against policy

That’s a good update, OP.

[Anonymous]

Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

Or, we could learn from covid and wear masks when we have symptoms (that aren't allergies).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

Colds and flu are highly contagious. Sick kid stay home. Doctors not for allergies. Everyone now calls any virus allergies so many are faking allergies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else shaking their head at MCPS’’s use of masking as a preventive measure? My ES kid sneezed several times and has some sniffles and was asked to wear a mask the remainder of the day. There have been a few cases of COVId at our school but I’m surprised MCPS is still holding onto masking. My kid has allergies and doesn’t have Covid, so I’d really like to understand the criteria MCPS is using to make a decision like they did today. Oh wait they have none. Utterly ridiculous.

No. If it's an infectious illness, then wearing a mask seems quite reasonable.

Next time, tell your kid to say it's allergies - assuming it is allergies.

Good plan to teach your kids to lie. Mcps should send sick kids home.

White lies. My kids know how to use them appropriately.

Better than you know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

Or, we could learn from covid and wear masks when we have symptoms (that aren't allergies).

Only for covid
Like before

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

Colds and flu are highly contagious. Sick kid stay home. Doctors not for allergies. Everyone now calls any virus allergies so many are faking allergies.

Colds and flus were always contagious. Nothing has changed there other than weakened immune systems to colds from no exposure. Sorry - masks only for Covid and until day 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sick children with infectious diseases should not be in school infecting other people.

Schools need to test these children that are coughing and sneezing for infectious diseases and remove them form class if it’s infectious.

I believe Children with allergies are more prone to die when they get the flu or COVID. So if my kid had allergies I would not knowingly send him into a classroom with the air full of COVID or the flu.

It’s cold season. So many kids are running around with coughs and sneezing and runny noses that don’t have Covid. Those kids should not be staying home for 7 to 10 days missing instruction. And now they need a doctors note after five days or they’ll be kicked out of school. Kids will allergies will be just fine. Obviously if your child has Covid or flu, stay home but their other bugs running around.

And don’t you remember when they tried testing kits for Covid back in 2021? Only a fraction of a parrot signed up for it. So that will never work.

Agreed. That's why a mask is a good idea. The kids can be in school, and the mask will reduce the chances that they infect other people.

No, a mask is NOT a good idea for otherwise healthy kids.

You are welcome to wear a mask all day, every day for the rest of you life if you so choose. Kids get sick. It's part of life. And, actually, some have argued that it's a good thing because it helps kids develop a strong immune system.

If you have an infectious illness, then you are not a "healthy kid" - you are a kid who has an infectious disease.

Yes, kids get sick. And when they do, we respond appropriately. For example, we keep them at home, or we take them to the doctor - or we get them vaccinated. A mask at school, so they're less likely to infect other kids or adults, is an appropriate response.

Don’t be obtuse. Yes, they are healthy kids. And healthy kids can get sick with the flu, colds, or stomach bugs. I keep my kids home too, but guess what I’m not gonna have them mask at school for colds. And if I was the type of person who was so concerned about getting infected, then I would mask myself up and not demand that of other people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

Colds and flu are highly contagious. Sick kid stay home. Doctors not for allergies. Everyone now calls any virus allergies so many are faking allergies.

Colds and flus were always contagious. Nothing has changed there other than weakened immune systems to colds from no exposure. Sorry - masks only for Covid and until day 10.

Why even for covid when it's roughly as severe as the flu?

Just keep them home when they're sick, have them return when symptoms have improved, and stop worrying about masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Common sense policies

Common cold, no fever - child goes to school if feeling well

Common cold, fever - wait for fever to end

Flu - child goes to school if fever free for 24 hours even if with symptoms (CDC website says this too)

Covid - follow Moco guidelines

No masking except for Moco guidelines on COVID

So pretty much, everything that was sensibly done before Covid

Colds and flu are highly contagious. Sick kid stay home. Doctors not for allergies. Everyone now calls any virus allergies so many are faking allergies.

Colds and flus were always contagious. Nothing has changed there other than weakened immune systems to colds from no exposure. Sorry - masks only for Covid and until day 10.

Why even for covid when it's roughly as severe as the flu?

Just keep them home when they're sick, have them return when symptoms have improved, and stop worrying about masks.

Because it harms, and sometimes kills, people who have no choice but to send their kids to school with your spreader kid. That’s why.