Should kids wear facemasks in school to reduce second wave and more school closures?

[947EliseChalotte]

Should kids wear masks in school in September when there are 30 in a class to reduce chances of second wave and avoid school shut down again?

@Howaboutanewname

Sorry it came to that but it sounds like a good call for you

@Emmelina why isn’t that happening in other countries where children wear masks then? Are our children uniquely ill disciplined and selfish?

@Didyousaynutella

This is a silly remark, as nurses sign up to work in health care

And teachers sign up to teach! That is an equally silly remark. Not all nurses sign up to work with infectious diseases you know!

And very few health professionals are given full PPE. I’ve had full contact with patients throughout with just a mask, gloves and tiny pinny. I am in physical contact with patients and see about 15 a day. I hate that argument.

15 whole people a day? With only a mask, gloves and a pinny? No wonder you think I’m hopeless then, worrying about meeting up to 150 a day, 30 at a time for an hour at a time in a room too small for any of us to socially distanced and with no mask, gloves or pinny. Can you see how silly your comment is?

@justasking111

My late father had a mask during the war born in 1935, you never forget the smell or the experience he said it was traumatic for children then. He would go nuts if still alive to think his great grand children had to wear them.

A gas mask. Your late father had a gas mask. Somewhat different from a small piece of soft fabric, don’t you think? You just aren’t c9moaring like with like. But you know that.

Cardi I am sorry but are are you putting your hands on their stomach or legs? Are you putting your face very close to theirs for a prolonged period of time? Are you helping them out of chairs? Are you asking them to cough for the purpose of the examination? Are you see people straight from the covid ward?

Thought not.

People that say health care professionals signed up for this. I am a sonographer. I scan pregnant patients and elderly patients for largely chronic problems and strokes normally. I did not sign up to work with infectious diseases. But I continued to work through lockdown as did all of my colleagues without complaint.

Happy for my 4 year old to wear a mask. I dont want her education to be disrupted

Emmelina, isn't it rather strange if schools manage to ensure that pupils wear the right colour shirts and even socks but can't issue a similar rule that masks are to be plain white only?

Children shouldn’t be living in sterile environments.

The sort of masks in question are not going to filter air that much and are far from sterile.

But it did make me wonder about the concerns in re: auto-immune conditions, 'under-challenged' immune systems etc. Is there enough data from countries that have been using masks for a long time (say 20 years or so) for there to be any clinical evidence on this?

What about children with glasses? Glasses get steamed up constantly - why should my child be expected to wear a mask and not be able to see his work. He is far too young for contacts. And no younger child's mask fits properly IMO

The risks in school look very low according to latest research.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-children-transmission-adults-french-study-a9582976.html%3famp

There seem to be an awful lot of outbreaks in educational settings considering the risks in school are so ‘low’.

Unfortunately not very detailed though. As each incident could be 2 or thousands.

Q is how many people on an average day in england have a feve r cough or loss of smell. In winter that could be a huge number. I just cant see testing coping.
Out of 365 days
2 incidents of fever for me
2 or more for dc2
Probably 8+ coughs between the 4 of us.
So 12 tests.

Well a new study has come out that shows that older children transmit cv every bit as well as adults do. So Sept will be fun but not nearly as much fun as Oct and Nov.

I've seen Nottingham and lincolnshire area have had school closures.

I think Boris is aiming too high to have them all back by September full time. The kids need the normality but it's going to start spreading to families in the autumn that have been home since march. It seems such a waste to have been so cautious and careful to just go catch it in October.

I don't think little kids should wear them personally. My DD will be in her class bubble. They will be eating in the class rooms. So they will have to have their faces free to do that anyway. So therefore there's not going to be a miracle. Perhaps secondary kids could wear them in the corridor and things. But again they need to eat.

I'm dreading it.

My sister in law is a Dr. She has been working with patients with end of life diseases/illnesses. Some have had covid. She started loosing her sense of smell and taste Sunday. Yesterday she was aching and tired. She's had a test but it's looking likely she's caught it. It's a worry. I hope she doesn't get too bad. It's made me worry even more about school reopening. I can't afford to become sick. as a mum the thought terrifies me.

@Didyousaynutella

Cardi I am sorry but are are you putting your hands on their stomach or legs? Are you putting your face very close to theirs for a prolonged period of time? Are you helping them out of chairs? Are you asking them to cough for the purpose of the examination? Are you see people straight from the covid ward?

Thought not.

I’ll be less than 2m from them while they cough and sneeze. I’ll need to get very close if they need help. I’m shut in a poorly ventilated room with 150 of them in a hourly rotation. I’d say the risk is pretty high. If you are seeing patients from the covid ward, ie confirmed infections, without proper PPE I’d be very surprised, and you should quite rightLy complain and refuse. I’m not allowed to wear any PPE and neither are the children.

@Melonslicexx

I've seen Nottingham and lincolnshire area have had school closures.

I think Boris is aiming too high to have them all back by September full time. The kids need the normality but it's going to start spreading to families in the autumn that have been home since march. It seems such a waste to have been so cautious and careful to just go catch it in October.

I don't think little kids should wear them personally. My DD will be in her class bubble. They will be eating in the class rooms. So they will have to have their faces free to do that anyway. So therefore there's not going to be a miracle. Perhaps secondary kids could wear them in the corridor and things. But again they need to eat.

I'm dreading it.

My sister in law is a Dr. She has been working with patients with end of life diseases/illnesses. Some have had covid. She started loosing her sense of smell and taste Sunday. Yesterday she was aching and tired. She's had a test but it's looking likely she's caught it. It's a worry. I hope she doesn't get too bad. It's made me worry even more about school reopening. I can't afford to become sick. as a mum the thought terrifies me.

, sorry your sister is unwell and I hope she recovers quickly

@cardibach I understand the worry and am concerned for teachers. I promise many parents really do care about the health of teachers.

Thanks @labyrinthloafer. I know that really. It just gets a bit relentless sometimes, and then the government clearly doesn’t care - not even in Wales where they were originally doing better.

Hasn’t it been decided that they won’t be.

If people want schools to open in September, then face masks are going to be essential, at least for secondary school.

But schools are opening in September without masks..

@cardibach

Thanks *@labyrinthloafer*. I know that really. It just gets a bit relentless sometimes, and then the government clearly doesn’t care - not even in Wales where they were originally doing better.

I know, is grim. I think some parents are keeping a tight lid on their worries so they just can't even think about it. I think we're nearly all feeling the strain.

I've been going well n about Wales today, saying how they won't be fining parents. Which is at least one thing better than England (although not much help for teachers, you get more than a £60 fine for not turning up!)

No

Open schools, no masks. If you are a teacher and scared of catching it talk to your head, and make necessary arrangements for a cover. If your child is vulnerable, arrange online sessions with the school. Can we, everyone else, please be allowed to give our children a normal education? The virus will be endemic, we need to live with it. Can we please start understanding this basic fact? I am not asking the whole planet to stay at home so that precious me (over 50 and with pleuresy history) is "safe" from a coronavirus with a survival rate of over 99%. It would be selfish and utterly ridiculous. Everyone get a grip ffs.