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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I work in the field.  In DC masking for children over two is still REQUIRED by OSSE and DC DOH.  They have not yet updated that guidance and it typically takes them several weeks to change their guidance after the CDC comes out with an update.  Masks are optional outdoors.

VA just updated their guidance where they strongly encourage centers allow parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks.  This was just out yesterday.

I don't work in MD so I haven't seen the latest guidance myself, but have heard that MOCO has lifted mask requirements.  I don't know for sure though.

So in MD and VA, masks are up to the school, but in DC, masks are still required in ECE.[/quote]
In MoCo there has not been any county mandate for private schools, including preschools and daycares, for a while. However, the current guidance from the state and county is to strongly encourage universal masking for anyone over age 2. The MoCo acting chief health officer doubled down on that guidance at yesterday's Council session (citing "outbreaks" - what do poorly worn cloth masks do to help with that??). He also said once the CDC updates it's specific guidance for child care (they've ALREADY said it will align with community guidance so what's the wait??) AND the state updates its guidance, THEN the county will create it's OWN guidance because MoCo is so f&$cking special. So yes, we will have to wait several weeks before knowing whether MoCo will ask 2-5 year olds and their teachers to mask, and literally nobody else.[/quote]

So don’t wait for MoCo. Push for your child care center/preschool to change policies on the basis of the CDC guidance.[/quote]

NP but you have seen the reaction on this thread.  Suggesting that wet cloth masks worn intermittently isn’t effective is equated with being anti science.  I am terrified to admit to being mask skeptical in the  real world. [/quote]

Understood- but that's the problem. We need more people willing to speak up, otherwise policies won't change.[/quote]

DP - I also should mention many of us who are most concerned about this issue also have SN kids and we ask a lot of other things of our providers. For us, between ending masking vs being able to continue to receive the other accommodations we are getting but that do inconvenience the provider, honestly we need the accommodations more otherwise we're screwed. So no, I'm not going to be able to play the role of the anti-mask instigator. Our public health authorities should be here to protect our most vulnerable residents and they are refusing to do it.[/quote]

PP here, and I completely understand.  I'm in exactly the same position, and it's been a delicate balancing act regarding how much to push the provider themselves.

You're right that public health officials and child care regulators have not been looking out for kids.  And I think part of that is because they're also not hearing from parents with concerns.  I get why it is hard to have some of these discussions with providers directly, but you can be reaching out to councilmembers, MSDE staff and MDH/DHHS staff.  I've been doing this, and in many cases I'm being told they're not hearing from parents with concerns about the negative impacts of masks- they're only hearing concerns when people start talking about dropping masks.[/quote]

At one point someone shared a list of county staff to reach out to (which I have but need to again).  Who have you been contacting at MSDE?[/quote]

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