Is anyone concerned about the health implications of mask-wearing in school?

[Noodlevonstrudle]

Just that really. With the best will in the world children and teens are likely to be touching their face way more wearing a mask than they ever would otherwise. There will be masks dropped on the floor, stuffed in pockets, left in the bottom of bags and then put back on again. It worries me a lot that not only will they be ineffective against Covid but that they will actually be harmful.

I'm concerned that parents don't want their kids to wear masks to protect others in their class and their families and also to protect me as an unvaccinated almost 50 year old teacher and mum of 2.

OP read this carefully:

You think your child is healthy but they are infectious for several days before symptoms. This is why it is important to have the latent flow tests. It can pick up the virus before showing symptoms.

Unfortunately the latent flow tests are not good at picking up the virus in completely symptom-less people. Often children are in this category. That’s why the government what’s your child to have 3 tests as they are more likely to be more accurate. The tests (you send off in the post) are much more accurate and would detect smaller amounts of virus. There was a study with Birmingham students which did latent tests (like school ones) and pcr tests (like the ones you send off in the mail) on students who weren’t showing any signs of being Covid positive. Of the ones that they picked up being positive on the pcr tests, only 3% were picked up on the school tests.

That is why ‘healthy’ children should wear masks.

It they don’t have symptoms they could be passing the virus round to people like my daughter. Or your child’s teacher who will then be off. Or another child who reacts very poorly and gets long covid.

You wash your child’s clothes so buy a few cloth masks and wash them too.

only 3% were picked up on the school tests.

What on earth is the point in doing them then?

And just for future reference, you don't ever persuade someone to your viewpoint with patronising comments like "Read this carefully", it just gets people's backs up. I hope that helps you word your arguments better in future.

No.

My Dd is vulnerable btw but still has to be at school. Fortunately, at 16 she can have the vaccine. I am glad she isn’t 15 because she would be at school fully unvaccinated for a lot longer than mine is.

@noblegiraffe

Do you know what doesn’t reassure me? Anti-mask bullshitters trying to argue against basic safety measures in schools that most other countries seem to manage just fine with unevidenced and spurious ‘concerns’.

100% this.

I have to wear a mask in a non Sterile environment fir 6 hours+ at a time. Dentist says my teeth are fine and I haven't stopped dead of lung disease and neither have my many many colleagues. I think you're on the wind up Op!

Not hard to spot these:

"I'm not anti-mask but."

"I'm not anti-vaxx but.."

"Basically says a "small impact" ranging from 7%. I can't see that is particularly helpful"

Of course you don't. Not when it's offset against human rights and that chip they want to put in your head.

@Noodlevonstrudle

only 3% were picked up on the school tests.

What on earth is the point in doing them then?

And just for future reference, you don't ever persuade someone to your viewpoint with patronising comments like "Read this carefully", it just gets people's backs up. I hope that helps you word your arguments better in future.

if you take a precaution that saves 1 life and it's yours then you are alive not dead.

Well said @Xerochrysum

As a parent, wouldn’t you also have a selection of masks for your DC and wash them? Very easy solution.

that chip they want to put in your head. - I'm sorry, what?

Noodle I have read your replies and I don’t think you are understanding some of the replies either the science or the phrases people were using. So I wanted you to read it carefully. For example you asked what ‘a grip’ was. ‘Get a grip’ is a phrase.

‘Read this carefully’ is a phrase teachers often use at the beginning of an exam question. To ensure pupils read the information carefully to analyse it before replying.

I will answer your question about the latent flow tests. The point is it is one of a series of measures put in place to stop the virus. Some children will have symptoms and the tests will be much much better (I think 40-50%) at the point of testing. So if you do this three times with each time you test you are catching a lot of cases before they get into school. For those you will never show symptoms, you will only catch 3% but that’s 3% each time and that’s better than nothing.

Imagine it’s like a series of challenges the virus has got to get through to get into schools, cause an outbreak and close the schools. Every thing like masks (another challenge) helps stop the outbreak.

I DON'T think there will be long term health implications for wearing masks and I DO agree that kids should wear masks when they go back, for a short time, as a safer way to keep them in school.

BUT, the snippy posters who are constantly 'every other country is doing it', 'I'm a surgeon and I wear a mask 24/7' blah, blah, blah are bloody idiots. The reality is of course it's uncomfortable, of course it impedes communication and of course it should only be done if absolutely necessary.

I teach adults. We were face-to-face teaching in masks all day, every day September - December. I regularly got very spotty and at times, quite breathless. Students constantly had difficulties understanding what I was saying, and vice versa. Don't dismiss people's legitimate concerns by just calling them anti-maskers.

Right, well I'm off. Thanks for the "engagement".

I was hoping for a bit of reassure or advice, but no, this is obviously not the place for that. Thanks for whoever it was that suggesting bags for masks and also to keep drinking lots - will take that onboard.

If anyone has any suggestions of parenting boards where people engage respectfully when someone ask a question that is "counter" to the herd do let me know because this is obviously not it. Worth a try thought I guess.

It’s fine to ask about reality of masks op for reassurance / advice

If anyone has any suggestions of parenting boards where people engage respectfully when someone ask a question that is "counter" to the herd

The problem is that you think of this in terms of herd mentality rather than the best scientific advice at the moment.

There is no way to engage in any meaningful way if that's how you start off.

The reality is of course it's uncomfortable, of course it impedes communication and of course it should only be done if absolutely necessary.

The clue is when they say stuff like "blindly complying without questioning". It's one step away from calling us all sheeple.

OK - sorry I posted that before the last two responses.

@Oohshortbreadfinger -thank you. Thank you for taking my concerns as legitimate and answering them properly.

@Zandathepanda - thank you for taking the time to explain more fully.

I teach in a country where masks are compulsory. There has been no transmission in my school between students/teachers due to mask wearing.

Noone complains, ((and it's hot here) it's become normal. Not an issue

There are problems with persistent acne and rashes. Changing to a hypoallergenic detergent and swapping masks frequently throughout the day can help. If that doesn’t work it’s time to see a doctor.

Some people find them very distracting. That is my main concern with kids and learning.

Parents need to find a mask that their kids find comfortable. I sew and my dd has sensory issues. I went through many, many prototypes before we finally landed on one that she was happy with.

Then you just make sure to stock their book bag with a large supply so they can swap them throughout the day.

@Noodlevonstrudle

only 3% were picked up on the school tests.

What on earth is the point in doing them then?

And just for future reference, you don't ever persuade someone to your viewpoint with patronising comments like "Read this carefully", it just gets people's backs up. I hope that helps you word your arguments better in future.

Because they did pick up 3%. Else those 3% would be in school multiplying.

So mask stop some cases spreading.

Tests stop some cases spreading.

Isolating contacts stops some cases spreading.

It all adds up to less covid in schools.

Nope. Not at all.

Children need germs and bacteria I cant imagine anything they will be exposed too would be more harmful than the usual dropping of stuff, touching faces etc.

I think wearing the mask and slowing the covid particles down and lowering the risk of everyone around them is more important. Also wearing the mask may mean they dont touch their faces as much.
I do think it will increase the risk of covid around them in terms of touchng things however this should be mitigated with handwashing etc

My son and his friends have all worn masks in case since September

Not one child has had any health issues with it.

That is a school of 1600 students. Around 1000 wore masks out of choice.

@UsedUpUsername

Also, people wear masks rutinely in many East Asian countries also with no issues

They do not. Universal masking was not ever a thing in East Asia. I have lived there most of my adult life.

It’s not unusual to see someone in a mask, yes. But it’d be highly unusual to see someone in a mask if they didn’t have allergies, a cold or it was a bad air day.

Well, from where I'm standing a pandemic is as bad a bad air day as you can get.

BTW, who mentioned 'universal masking'? Many people wear them when needed, do they not? Concidentally, exactly what kids are expected to do in schools here.

They don't have to wear them anyway, it isn't compulsory..

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/25/covid-tests-masks-not-compulsory-english-schools-nick-gibb