Full time mask wearing in schools

[JS87]

Would you be prepared for your child to wear a mask in lessons etc (even in primary school in say KS2 upwards) if it meant they caught less colds/coughs/temps and didn't have to keep isolating to get a cold? I would definitely be happy for DS 9 to wear one if it meant he got to spend more time in school

Absolutely not. Under no circumstances will my children be mandated to cover their face at school. I would rather they were at home.

only been back a couple of weeks though. won't take long for it to spread

kids can be taught about covid and will learn to cope with masks. probably put the rest of us to shame too. dont think we should be underestimating their capability.

@MotheringShites

I felt exactly the same when I found out, in fact posted a long ranting thread on here about it. But then I calmed down and thought that my son is in Y11 and of mask wearing gives him any possible chance of being in school this year then I’m willing to go with it. I’m a TA and I’d hate to wear one but I have to say they have adjusted to it really well.

We all want kids to have carefree childhoods. Nobody wants to see kids in masks. But it’s a pandemic. If you’re not prepared to take mitigating measures for a highly infectious airborne virus, then either be prepared for regular school closures, lockdowns & higher levels of illness or move to a country that has successfully pursued a ZEROCovid policy so you can live a carefree mask-free life.
I look at New Zealand with increasingly envious eyes & growing resentment that our politicians &, based on this thread, our population are unwilling to take simple measures to reduce transmission & keep our schools open.
Mask up, FGS, & teach your kids proper mask hygiene. Other countries seem to manage it.

They may have got it outside school.
I bet the teacher is glad they and the kids have one though. Let us know if it spreads?

DS is 6. That’s too young imo. From secondary yes. Not sure about older primary.

Don't they wear masks in lots of european schools and some of them still have high numbers of cases , i think kids may touch them too much if too young , my eldest ds wears at college just when walking to lesson and he is quite sensible but looked at me like i was stupid ,when i told him to put in the wash at the end of day and that he needs clean one , and i wonder how many kids wouldn't be given clean one everyday
Also when i wear mine for hr breathing it seems to get damp
I suspect they will be introduced though in coming weeks , certainly for older ones
We seem to introduced mask wearing and now cases are high so im not convinced exactly how much difference they make as so many are wearing incorrectly
I know people who have been using same disposable mask for weeks

no

Agree with Clinbdad, I work in a school, currently 7 staff off, can't get tests. About a quarter of kids off.
Lots of vulnerable staff still around, social distancing being attempted but at times, impossible like lesson changeover.
Lessons being covered with supply and LSAs, teaching staff going mental to keep up. Parents asking for work to send home.
Anything to keep them open. Anything.

@notevenat20

No. I just want DC to have a normal happy free childhood.

Right, because that's what's currently happening? Schools will close if some sort of mitigation isn't put in place. You can't simply wish this away.

We seem to introduced mask wearing and now cases are high so im not convinced exactly how much difference they make as so many are wearing incorrectly

That’s a fair point. European countries strongly enforcing masks have seen their numbers sky rocket. Perhaps they are counter productive.

@littlemsattitude

No cases at the non mask wearing primary near my house but four in one bubble that I know of at the mask wearing secondary down the road 🤔

You're comparing apples with pears there.

Not a chance would I let my 7 and 5 year old wear a mask in school

No way

I would want to see an exemption for anyone sitting formal assessments. Sitting an exam in a mask would be grim.

God no.

If they stop or reduce colds spreading and so reduce the need for constant tests then yes, for older students. Though I'd be equally if not more happy with good quality blended learning for KS3 and up.

"My son wants to wear one and everyone else around him too as well.*

Well let your son wear one but everyone around him teach him be doesn't get what he wants

No ridiculous suggestion tbh. I dont think it's a case of "better than nothing" Most kids wont wear them properly, will trade masks, keep touching them, leave them laying around, complain all day, lose them or keep wearing the same mask over and over. The risk IMO of covid spreading in schools, will be pretty much the same.

My DCs are only babies but I have a teen sibling, who can't be trusted not to pick a scab off his face, let alone relying on them not touch their mask.

I think the poster means her son's friends are happy to wear masks too, not that her son wants them to.

Well they all sit as normal in the canteen? What about during PE? Then the all literally after school, have spots after school and at weekends?

Shall we wear masks in pubs and restaurants and just move up and down to take a sip or bite of food?????????

@CoronaBollox you don't have much faith in kids do you?

they could embrace mask wearing and adapt very well if the fairytale loving parents let them!!

Asian countries seem to use surgical masks and they do filter more out.
I would be interested to know what percentage of people positive have been abroad and flown etc.
I think sensibly quarantine should have also included 2w from any country before you could go back to class.

Youngest is 5yo he has some sensory issues anyway especially where his clothes are concerned (no formal diagnosis of anything) at best he would fiddle and mess with it all day deeming it useless at worst he would have a full on meltdown over it. Considering the implications of covid to him are minimal wearing a mask is completely not for his benefit at all. I'm aware that that's a selfish way of looking at it but I'm more concerned about his welfare than that of mine, the rest of my extended family and certainly others outside my family.

12 year old wears one in school, he says he's fine with it. All the others (5, 8, 10) have worn them for tiny amount of times but no, I'd take them out of school rather than have them wear them for that long (2 have asthma, I cant even fathom it)