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.

Although I should have made it clear that I do agree with the mask wearing!

The issue is that the masking leads to dry mouth which leads to gum disease and cavities.

Funnily enough, I've just read an article that said that the moist air retained between the mask and the mouth may actually help prevent infection.

I've worn a mask for hours and had no issues with a dry mouth.

Where do people get these ideas from? Worse, even, stating them as facts.

@RedGoldAndGreene

*Well yeah, what is there to be concerned about the loss of non-verbal skills and difficulties in the understanding of body language in others. It's not like young children rely on people's facial expressions and tone of voice to regulate their responses toward people and new situations, is it?

All totally fine.*

Masks are only going to be used in secondary schools.

It's possibly only for 3 weeks and I struggle to believe that teenagers will lose non-verbal skills if they are masked at school when they will be unmasked at break, lunch, walking to and from school plus when they chat to each other after school via technology like gaming headset and FaceTime.

I was commenting on 5 year olds wearing masks - as you know

I don’t think it’s dangerous, but it’s definitely not ‘normal’. I personally think it’s not right, and will hinder some kids ability to learn and concentrate when they’ve already missed a lot of school. I think it should be by choice! There’s very little evidence to say masks make a difference at all, they have their uses in clinical settings, but that’s not a school. I think that covering your face will have a major impact on a lot of things teenagers need to experience. I can’t wait to rip the claustrophobic thing off my face as soon as I leave a shop or other setting that we are forced to wear them, I seriously can’t imagine wearing one for hours a day. I know certain professions have to, but you really can’t compare that to children.
I feel it’s inhumane and for some, will have a very negative impact for very little protection, it’s being brought in to appease the unions and to make people ‘feel safe’ and for no other reason whatsoever, so why should teenagers suck it up? There’s very very little evidence to say it makes a huge impact on the spread so why would we force this on kids, when to be honest they have lost quite a lot in the last year?

@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.

6 year olds manage it in Spain, Italy and many other countries. I am sure our teens are perfectly capable...

I’ve bought my son six masks in preparation for the return for school.

What concerns me is the families where doing this is not an option. I am a teacher, and I know that two young people in my form group had the same disposable mask (for use on bus, and in corridors around school) from September until we broke up in December.

@Noodlevonstrudle

I have no idea either way - just asking the question. One of DS' friend's grandmother contracted bacterial pneumonia that they thought was related to mask-wearing so yeah, it's something I'm slightly concerned about.

One of my DS friend's, cousin's, aunt is the Queen of Sheba and had her leg eaten by a tiger whilst wearing a mask.

Children have been wearing masks globally for years

Healthy children do not wear masks. I worked in Japanese schools for years, only those with active colds or allergies would wear them. Not entire classrooms of healthy children.

The Chinese approach also isn’t necessarily based on masks from the fall semester, it seems
to focus more on social distancing:

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1200310.shtml

I suspect this might have had something to do with it (from linked article):

In April and May, two cases of sudden deaths of students on campus were reported in East China's Zhejiang Province and Central China's Henan Province, which were suspected to be related to intense physical exercise with masks on. These tragedies worried the Chinese public, bringing up safety concerns over prolonged mask-wearing

English kids won’t be doing PE in masks.

Next objection?

I think it's quite noble really.

@noblegiraffe

English kids won’t be doing PE in masks.

Next objection?

I was simply giving a different perspective on what they do in China (and it’s a diverse response, not uniform). You are very aggressive for some reason.

It’s a bit tiring to see people assume in ‘abroad’ children wear masks and in the UK we just whine about it. But there’s a diversity of responses and strategies employed by different countries and regions. We should be able to talk about it!!!

I also hope in a few years' time you are able to look back and see quite how obsessive you were about some of the issues and be a little ashamed

Right back at you lot frankly.

I agree with Mango and pp we should be able to talk about changes like this rather than this reaction

I’m not against masks, Ds wears one anyway just not in class. But will if asked no issue.

It’s still fine to talk about issues

@noblegiraffe

English kids won’t be doing PE in masks.

Next objection?

Also, adding that in the article, you can read that Chinese parents are also concerned about face masks on children. It’s not just a concern of British parents because they aren’t culturally used to it. It is likely fairly common concern worldwide

@FenceSplinters

I’ve bought my son six masks in preparation for the return for school.

What concerns me is the families where doing this is not an option. I am a teacher, and I know that two young people in my form group had the same disposable mask (for use on bus, and in corridors around school) from September until we broke up in December.

Yes first we had period poverty and now we may have mask poverty. Does your local council give away resusable masks to each member of a household free. Some councils like mine do. You just go online and order. Maybe worth checking because if they do. You can get school to send out an informative parentmail. Else maybe there is a charity out there that does.

Is it worth pointing out ar this stage (again) that this is only for a limited amount of time, for a limited amount of hours a day, and not 7 days a week?

The alternative is to close all schools again, which is not great for kids' health and development.

@Lweji

Comply comply comply

To be fair, that's what they've learned from having to wear school uniform and there's no safety reason for that. Or any good reason, actually.
Masks are to prevent them and those around them getting ill.

I live in a country where children have had to wear masks in school since September.
They're fine.

DD has also been wearing a mask since September, she has never been healthier.

Not one cold, not one cough or sore throat. It is brilliant.

@MarshaBradyo

I agree with Mango and pp we should be able to talk about changes like this rather than this reaction

I’m not against masks, Ds wears one anyway just not in class. But will if asked no issue.

It’s still fine to talk about issues

Agree everyone should be able to talk. It is difficult though because at this time we risk putting fear or worry into peoples heads. Bit of a tightrope walk to balance that.

@stickygotstuck

Is it worth pointing out ar this stage (again) that this is only for a limited amount of time, for a limited amount of hours a day, and not 7 days a week?

The alternative is to close all schools again, which is not great for kids' health and development.

Why is the alternative to not wearing masks to close schools? I don't understand that jump.

It is a very limited help in stopping transmission wearing masks. This is basically a sop to the unions. I don't see why not wearing masks would mean schools would close.

If you have a child that is susceptible to bacterial tonsillitis you need to tell them to careful with masks and not to keep wearing the same one. Provide them with lots of one use surgical masks and tell them to keep changing them.

@FenceSplinters

I’ve bought my son six masks in preparation for the return for school.

What concerns me is the families where doing this is not an option. I am a teacher, and I know that two young people in my form group had the same disposable mask (for use on bus, and in corridors around school) from September until we broke up in December.

I couldn't have watched that without doing something to help - our school, the office give out disposable masks, and I'd buy some myself (as I do with sanitary projects) to help if necessary. I don't normally think teachers should solve problems from their own pockets, but I can't imagine a school that wouldn't have had some way to sort that.

Nope.
Clean bag, dirty bag.

Several reusable bags.

Talk to your child. Mine was doing this before. Can't see a massive problem.

*masks not bags.

Reusable so can be washed

Oh we did have spare masks to give out, but as far as these children were concerned, they had one and didn’t see that they needed another or a replacement.