Is It Safe For Kids To Take Off Their Masks In Schools? Dr. Mallika Marshall Answers
BOSTON (CBS) – The statewide mask requirement for K-12 schools in Massachusetts will be lifted on February 28, so WBZ-TV spoke with Dr. Mallika Marshall about the decision.
After two years of our children wearing masks, is it safe to take them off now?
The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics still recommend universal masking in schools, and I have to say, I personally think it's premature to remove masks in schools right now.
While COVID cases are coming down dramatically in Massachusetts, cases are still relatively high among kids, and they continue to be hospitalized with COVID-related complications. In fact, in my urgent care, while the number of people testing positive has dropped significantly, we're currently seeing more kids test positive than adults. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go to get children 5 and older fully vaccinated, and we still don't have a vaccine for kids under 5, though that should be coming soon. I think the priority is to keep our kids safely in school and not go back to remote learning, and right now, masking makes that possible.
Let's talk about the other side of this argument. We heard from parents and doctors who are worried about what effect this time of wearing masks will have on kids, especially younger kids?
I get it. Nobody wants to continue masks longer than is actually necessary, and there are some legitimate concerns about the long-term effects that masks might be having on language development in young children. But again, what is really important is that we keep our kids in school, and they are not going to need to wear masks forever. As Omicron numbers continue to decline and more and more people get vaccinated, the risk to our children and those who are vulnerable in our community will fall as well, and those masks will come off, possibly in the next two to three months or so.
Are there certain instances where it is safe – and not safe – for our children not to be wearing a mask?
Kids can almost always safely remove their masks when they're outdoors. As the temperatures begin to rise in the next month or two, there will be many more opportunities for kids to spend time outside. While I think kids over 2 should continue to wear masks indoors in public places right now, we'll get to a point where cases are so low, testing is more widely available, and so many people around them are vaccinated that they will be able to safely remove their masks, even in schools.
If you want to ditch masks, you can help by getting your kids vaccinated.