Why aren’t schools with high COVID rates masking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remember the good old days of 2020 and early 2021 when some people on this board liked to argue that, "Kids don't get it/Kids can't spread it" and "Kids, if they get it, get it out in the community and not in school"?

Now schools are the infection infernos that the rest of us always knew they would be.

Are you coming to a point or is this just nostalgia speaking?

They don’t have a point. They need therapy. They can’t get off the merry go round where their life revolves around covid and masks and outdoor lunch and testing. Very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

[Anonymous]

I have two middle schoolers. One chose to continue masking after the mandate ended and the other stopped wearing a mask. When we returned from spring break, I asked that child to wear a mask the first week back to school. I provided N95s. At that point, no one in our household had had covid. On April 30th, my child who never stopped wearing a mask to school came down with covid 3 days after the child who sat next to her at lunch got it. Lunch was the only time she wasn’t masked. My first child isolated and wore a mask if she had to come out of her room. No one else in our household got it. I asked my second child to keep masking.

On Monday, my second child forgot to mask. Child doesn’t eat lunch due to medication that suppresses appetite, so Monday was the only time that child was not masked. Yesterday that child got a bad sore throat and headache, so I’m pretty sure it’s covid.

Masks have kept us from getting covid when transmission was high. Our covid infections have exclusively occurred when we weren’t masked. I’m fine going without a mask when transmission is low, but we’ll continue to mask when transmission is high. I’m not worried about hospitalization or death, but I’d prefer to avoid several days of misery and falling a week behind in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've just accepted that the anti mask screamers won, and anyone who doesn't wear a high quality mask as well as get al the vaccines is going to catch Covid.

Except that vaxxed high quality mask wearers will get Covid too.

Maybe someday, but not necessarily this month or this school year. It's still worth trying to avoid it.

Then keep masking up, make outdoor arrangements for lunch if needed, and hope for the best. My DH is an essential worker and we accepted a while ago there us only so much we can control. Even with masks Covid spread around his workplace (although their ventilation systems are likely far worse than MCPS if you can believe that).

PP here. That's what we do. All of us who sent our kids back to school have accepted the risk to some extent. We can't control everything, and the virus is everywhere. But accepting a level of risk for us doesn't mean abandoning all precautions, especially when community transmission is at such a high level. I'm tired of the "everyone is going to get it anyway so you are stupid to bother trying not to." I get it. People don't want to be bothered. But others, like my teens, don't mind masking indoors and would prefer to try to avoid getting COVID, so that's their decision. If they get it, that's life, but it won't be because they threw caution to the wind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

Your children's only access to fresh air comes during the school day? Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Masks don't work. Kids don't wear them properly. If you are concerned, get fitted with an N95 mask and wear it.

Just look back at earlier this year when cases were 6 times higher than now. Mask mandate was in effect. Do you really think they made a difference? I would argue no.

My kids have worn their mask correctly and did not get it when it was going around in school. Masks do make a difference if worn appropriately. Parents are the ones leading the way to not wear them correctly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

So you've presented an N of 1. That's not how this works

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've just accepted that the anti mask screamers won, and anyone who doesn't wear a high quality mask as well as get al the vaccines is going to catch Covid.

Except that vaxxed high quality mask wearers will get Covid too.

Maybe someday, but not necessarily this month or this school year. It's still worth trying to avoid it.

Then keep masking up, make outdoor arrangements for lunch if needed, and hope for the best. My DH is an essential worker and we accepted a while ago there us only so much we can control. Even with masks Covid spread around his workplace (although their ventilation systems are likely far worse than MCPS if you can believe that).

PP here. That's what we do. All of us who sent our kids back to school have accepted the risk to some extent. We can't control everything, and the virus is everywhere. But accepting a level of risk for us doesn't mean abandoning all precautions, especially when community transmission is at such a high level. I'm tired of the "everyone is going to get it anyway so you are stupid to bother trying not to." I get it. People don't want to be bothered. But others, like my teens, don't mind masking indoors and would prefer to try to avoid getting COVID, so that's their decision. If they get it, that's life, but it won't be because they threw caution to the wind.

Why does that even matter? If you do nothing and get it, take every precaution and get it - still the same outcome. That’s where I’m at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've just accepted that the anti mask screamers won, and anyone who doesn't wear a high quality mask as well as get al the vaccines is going to catch Covid.

Except that vaxxed high quality mask wearers will get Covid too.

Maybe someday, but not necessarily this month or this school year. It's still worth trying to avoid it.

Then keep masking up, make outdoor arrangements for lunch if needed, and hope for the best. My DH is an essential worker and we accepted a while ago there us only so much we can control. Even with masks Covid spread around his workplace (although their ventilation systems are likely far worse than MCPS if you can believe that).

PP here. That's what we do. All of us who sent our kids back to school have accepted the risk to some extent. We can't control everything, and the virus is everywhere. But accepting a level of risk for us doesn't mean abandoning all precautions, especially when community transmission is at such a high level. I'm tired of the "everyone is going to get it anyway so you are stupid to bother trying not to." I get it. People don't want to be bothered. But others, like my teens, don't mind masking indoors and would prefer to try to avoid getting COVID, so that's their decision. If they get it, that's life, but it won't be because they threw caution to the wind.

Why does that even matter? If you do nothing and get it, take every precaution and get it - still the same outcome. That’s where I’m at.

You assume that we will get it or that we will get it now. The chance of getting it now is great because of the level of community spread. Why not mask indoors and see if we can avoid it as the kids close out the school year? Maybe we won't get it until more is known about long COVID.

It matters to me personally because one of my kids has an autoimmune condition, which itself might not necessarily increase the risk of a severe outcome from COVID. At the same time, it's a chronic health condition that requires a great deal of attention. Whatever that unquantifiable risk of long COVID is, our personal assessment is that attending school with a mask and playing outdoor sports are risks worth taking, but abandoning all precautions at a time of high community spread is unwise. All of my risk assessment turns on whether the risky activity is important to us. Attending an indoor wedding for a family member might be worth the risk, but a sit-down dinner at Olive Garden is not. Similarly, if we get COVID wearing a mask, so be it. If we get COVID because we decided we are too tired to try anymore and one of us had long-term issues, I will have regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

Your children's only access to fresh air comes during the school day? Wow.

It’s the majority of their waking hours if they also attend before and/or aftercare like mine does. I could care less if everyone’s teenagers willingly mask forever but you’re never going to convince me that masking young kids for years on end (mine are 3 and 6) is remotely developmentally appropriate or worth the downsides. It’s just not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Masks don't work. Kids don't wear them properly. If you are concerned, get fitted with an N95 mask and wear it.

Just look back at earlier this year when cases were 6 times higher than now. Mask mandate was in effect. Do you really think they made a difference? I would argue no.

My kids have worn their mask correctly and did not get it when it was going around in school. Masks do make a difference if worn appropriately. Parents are the ones leading the way to not wear them correctly.

Mine (and most of their classmates) wore it all day too but got it from someone during lunch. So, you’ve had some good luck there and I sincerely hope it continues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

Do you realize how you sound? Depriving your kids of a normal childhood. You mean privileged and you not wanting them around? Hav you stopped to consider what you are teaching your kids about living in a community and caring about others? Have you stopped to think about the impact covid might have on a much less paid teacher, store clerk, nanny, housekeeper? Wait, its only your needs that matter. Get those kids out of the house so you can have your "me" time, friend's time, get your hair done, manicures, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

No one is talking years but until everyone works together this will be around and very serious for years... I guess we have you to thank.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

Your children's only access to fresh air comes during the school day? Wow.

It’s the majority of their waking hours if they also attend before and/or aftercare like mine does. I could care less if everyone’s teenagers willingly mask forever but you’re never going to convince me that masking young kids for years on end (mine are 3 and 6) is remotely developmentally appropriate or worth the downsides. It’s just not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

Your children's only access to fresh air comes during the school day? Wow.

If her kids are in before school care, school, after school care and don't get home till 6-7 she has bigger issues than fresh air. Poor kids. They see their parents maybe an hour or two a day and know they aren't really wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thanks - I hadn't seen that one before. It's one study, of course, and there are others that don't have results as convincing. Plenty of kids got Omicron during January 2022 here, and we had a mask mandate in place, so there's also that.

Again, the larger point about maintaining political capital for future restrictions is important here. There are many, many people, even in MoCo, who no longer support universal mask mandates. If you want them to cooperate in the future, you can't push them too hard now. Does it suck for some people? Yes. Might it suck even harder in the future if we push mask mandates again now, and people refuse to cooperate with other public health measures? Also yes.

I mean, if MCPS had reopened in-person, or at least *offered* the option back in September 2021, they would have gained some capital with parents who wanted in-person. But they didn't, and partially because of that decision (among others), here we are.

Here’s where I come out: assuming the choice is get covid/my kids get covid or wear a n-95 7 hours a day for years I would get covid. Every time. I would get it twice a year if that was the choice. So there isn’t any data on mask effectiveness that could sway me. I am happy to assume they are 100% effective. I’m still not depriving my kids of fresh air and a normal childhood. And for the record we have not masked anywhere since the mandates lifted and have not gotten covid so this idea that you’ll get it more than once or twice a year seems wrong.

Do you realize how you sound? Depriving your kids of a normal childhood. You mean privileged and you not wanting them around? Hav you stopped to consider what you are teaching your kids about living in a community and caring about others? Have you stopped to think about the impact covid might have on a much less paid teacher, store clerk, nanny, housekeeper? Wait, its only your needs that matter. Get those kids out of the house so you can have your "me" time, friend's time, get your hair done, manicures, etc.

Enough with the misogyny, PP. Do you realize how YOU sound?