Just been emailed by school - kids to wear masks for drop off

[IsoscelesSandwich]

just received an email from son's primary school asking that kids wear masks for drop off at school. What is the point of this!? I can understand for adults, but why kids? We're all outdoors, tiny village school so no big groups anyway, all drop offs are staggered by year group. Seems just a bit tokenistic and would be the first time my 5 year old would have to wear one. Is it pointless!?

@PotteringAlong

No, it’s not pointless. As Asda would say, every little helps.

Asda wouldn't say that. Tesco might

And yes @Whyongtime the school have made this rule up. It's what schools do, to meet their own requirements for their own pupils. Otherwise we'd all have to wear royal blue sweatshirts or gingham dresses between 9 and 3...

Did they mean adults? If some staff are vulnerable, I could understand that. They maybe weren't clear in the letter.

@ILoveFood87

It's not pointless no. How have some people not got masks for their kids my 5 year old nephew wears one have some people not even tried?! Shit parenting.com

WTF have you not read the research and guidance that says it’s a bad idea for primary age children to wear masks? They are very likely to mess with them, a lot, and not clean their hands each time they’ve touched the mask.

Completely agree it's pointless.

@Debradoyourecall

My four year old has had to wear one for hospital appointments this year but I would be surprised if his school asked him to wear one. You can get some fun reusable ones with superheroes/TV characters from Etsy.

What kind of hospital appointment was that for? Was it because your son is vulnerable to Covid? My two haven’t been asked to wear masks for hospital appointments (so far).

Unless any mask is put on and off correctly with correct hygiene then all the mask wearing appears pointless posturing!

But hey ho it appeases some people and makes them think action is being taken.

I would imagine it's to do with the mixing of bubbles at drop off (and pick up for that matter, but depends how they are doing that). At our school, they are asking students to wear masks on school transport, if they take it, as obviously it won't be socially distanced and the bubbles will mix. It sounds sensible if drop off/pick up would be the same. My dc have masks and are perfectly happy to wear them when necessary, so wouldn't be an issue for me. I'd rather they be healthy and in school than not wear a mask for 5 minutes.

Nope @JulieHere wearing a mask while temporarily mixing is better than not and the bar for correct hygiene in this instance is significantly less than the neuro surgery you seem to be picturing

@BornOnThe4thJuly he’s had two appointments since COVID, for different issues. He’s not especially vulnerable, it’s the policy at my local hospital that all children his age and older need to wear masks at their outpatients appointments. Perhaps it’s different at each hospital then, just as each school seems to be different!

Pointless and I wouldn’t do it
Children need germs and bugs. It’s how they develop immunity to a whole bunch of things

We are storing up other problems by supposedly not letting bugs spread ( not that I think masks make much difference anyway ) but there’s growing Science around the use of handgel and over zealous handwashing that suggests we’ll see rise of superbugs etc.... not good.

Children can get germs and bugs mucking around in the park - there's a pandemic on, herd immunity may not be achievable, things are different right now

Nope wearing a mask while temporarily mixing is better than not and the bar for correct hygiene in this instance is significantly less than the neuro surgery you seem to be picturing

Have a nope yourself, the donning and doffing I described is not for neuro or any other kind of surgery, it is the correct procedure for scenario 0 covid precautions, i.e. what you should do when neither mask wearer nor whoever they're going to be around has or is suspected to have covid. So it is exactly the level of hygeine you should be using when wearing a mask. If you're not doing this, you might as well not bother, but I've got a feeling that won't stop some of the superior types on this thread from thinking they're doing brilliantly while judging others.

A cloth barrier will stop breath vapour, coughs and sneezes whether you washed your hands before or not though?

The hand washing is for your safety, the cloth barrier is for others.

And yes, hand washing is still key.

I'm really sick and tired of hearing people say 'well if you can't do [complicated scenario] you might as well not bother/it's actively harmful when that's just bollocks. It's like saying 'well there's no point telling people to wash their hands because 5yos hardly ever use soap'. Bollocks

@Debradoyourecall I wonder if it depends on how many cases there are in the local area then. Although my youngest had an appointment in Manchester during the local lockdown and none of the kids had masks on. I’m surprised NHS trusts are doing things so differently. I’m less surprised at schools making their own decisions.

@DameFanny

And yes *@Whyongtime the school have* made this rule up. It's what schools do, to meet their own requirements for their own pupils. Otherwise we'd all have to wear royal blue sweatshirts or gingham dresses between 9 and 3...

I'm glad someone else said this! Schools make up all of their own rules ffs 🙄

@BornOnThe4thJuly maybe but my area has always had very low cases (SW). Who knows! Luckily he was seen more quickly than usual and in a less hot waiting room than the usual sweltering one.

Saw this on Twitter Sounds like its the US.

www.pathstoliteracy.org/strategies/ideas-helping-students-multiple-disabilities-including-deafblindness-wear-masks-and-face?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Things%20Weve%20Learned%20About%20Remote%20Online%20Instruction&utm_content=Things%20Weve%20Learned%20About%20Remote%20Online%20Instruction%20CID_ab47fccc7c9cbac9fc72af0109daca69&utm_source=Paths%20to%20Literacy%20Newsletter&utm_term=Learn%20More