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?

And what about the rights of other kid's parents to be safe?

What about the kids who are leaving shielding on 1st August?

There are some rights. Such as the right to an educatuon. And there are also responsibilities. We all have the responsibility to protect others from our germs.

The two can go hand in hand by those in schools using masks.

Surely the exempt kids would fee their personal health info was on show and feel very othered

*education. I really should put my glasses on!

I think children should wear masks, millions have been doing it for years/decades

Very young children have been wearing face masks at school? When, where?

It's not just children with SN for whom this would be problematic. I have studied psychology and child development and would expect that wearing face covering in this way would be traumatic for a significant proportion of children in primary school.

We all have the responsibility to protect others from our germs.

No we really don't.

@Witchcraftandhokum

ceeveebee surely teachers should be protected as well as the children?

You misunderstand Face shields provide a high level of protection for the wearer. Given they cover the whole face – the mouth, nose and eyes – a high percentage of viral particles are prevented from reaching the wearer. Hence why hairdressers etc have to wear them

Also, people saying masks will hinder communication and other negative stuff about masks.

The simple answer to that is, it has to be better than not being at school at all because of a second wave that is unmanageable because nobody in schools are wearing masks.

I want my children in school, masks would be safer for everyone involved. Yes a small minority will be terrified of wearing one because of multiple different reasons but the minority shouldn’t rule above the health of everyone, themselves included.

We do things in life that we don’t want to because we have to, want to wear a pad on your period? can’t say I particularly do, but I have to go keep myself sanitary. Luckily if I didn’t wear sanitary wear it wouldn’t put other people’s health at risk, masks do.

Nobody needs to be so negative about something that can help us.

Yabu. Terrible idea.

No. Staff should wear face shields if they please but that should be it. Let's give the kids some semblance of normality. Their needs have been largely ignored during this pandemic.

For many face masks are very uncomfortable and it is not fair for that they should be forced to wear them all day just to get an education.

How do people know it 'works perfectly well in other countries'. All you know is that its required in those countries. Nothing more, nothing less. I think its a terrible idea. I doubt it would be effective and would make teaching even tougher. No, No, no. Similar thread a few weejs ago. And great post from an ICU nurse who said it was crazy idea

I Second @p999

We know nothing about how well it is going in those other countries. A few posed photos of kids in classrooms with masks on somewhere in the world doesn’t show us how they actually coped with it on all day. For weeks at a time. It is too soon to tell.
It doesn’t show us what they felt like at the end of the day. How well they concentrated. How well they heard the teacher and made themselves heard.
How many times they poked at the mask and touched the wetness of it only to touch something else.
Personally I feel it will be torturous for kids.
A far better idea is having the classes split in 2 with less time and with the best social distancing that can be achieved. Well ventilated rooms. Perspex screens even between desks and adults wearing shields.

Part time lessons and blended learning are forbidden in the guidance. Some may think masks are terrible ideas and make it tougher to teach but what may make it even harder is being stuck self isolating or worse relying on that ICU nurse who though ppe is not appropriate in schools.

We will know in October. Let's hope we don't end up with deaths, more closures and posters complaining about childcare etc just when furlough ends.

Has this been dropped in to gauge public opinion - we all know it’s on the way. Masks outdoors for everyone. A lot of you wanted it. Here it comes

I think it's likely because teachers and other school staff want the choice to be able to wear masks or visors.

It's hard to justify masks in shops but not in schools. So I think it's likely to be brought in for the safety of staff and children. I would support it, I don't think school staff should have more risk than a shop worker or hairdresser for example. That doesn't seem right.

If people don't like it the option to home school is there.

Yes, for the benefit of all of us, to minimise the risk and severity of a second wave and to prevent yet more economic damage.

Other countries seem to be able to manage to keep quite young children wearing masks, it can't be an insoluble problem and we can learn from their experience how they managed to accommodate children with sensory and hearing issues,

No they shouldn't be compulsory but neither should teachers be forbidden to wear them
Schools are not and never have been centres of superspreader events. If we take out hospitals and carehomes, superspreader events are all the places masks are not worn eg parties in houses, clubs, restaurants

@LakieLady

Yes, for the benefit of all of us, to minimise the risk and severity of a second wave and to prevent yet more economic damage.

Other countries seem to be able to manage to keep quite young children wearing masks, it can't be an insoluble problem and we can learn from their experience how they managed to accommodate children with sensory and hearing issues,

Which countries are these by the way?

I in 100 kids have asd, not seeing faces is a real barrier especially the teacher. Then there's hearing impaired students, esl - the niqab was banned at DD's school for these reasons

Ps DD's mental health team wear clear masks and visors so their clients can see facial expressions

@TheLegendOfZelda

No they shouldn't be compulsory but neither should teachers be forbidden to wear them Schools are not and never have been centres of superspreader events. If we take out hospitals and carehomes, superspreader events are all the places masks are not worn eg parties in houses, clubs, restaurants

This is worth looking at each week.

Considering schools aren’t running at anywhere near capacity at the moment, I do wonder what community spread in September/October will look like when they are back full time, full capacity, no social distancing and no masks.

Hard to work out the AIBU but am I the only person to see a marketing opportunity for uniform masks? In the school I used to work in I’m sure they would have to be in house colours to match ties as well.

Until the 1960s measles was rife and it killed and disabled children. Children still went to school and didn't wear masks, however a quarantine of affected cases and their contacts was in operation.

I think the writing is on the wall. Secondary students will be wearing masks.

Secondary kids definitely should. All the "kids don't spread if" research is looking at 10 year olds and under. Look at a 17 year old sixth former, that is no longer biologically a child. Kids would get used to it quicker than the adults!