Decision on masks for primary in Ireland?

[SuperDuperC]

Hi all, we're in Cork! Just keeping an eye on the news today that they may be deciding on whether children in primary will have to wear masks. Just wanting to see how everyone feels about it? I will personally feel really sad if it comes to this, they've been affected so much already and wearing a mask for 5 odd hours will be uncomfortable and block all facial expressions between each other 😕

@Crazycrazylady

Honestly I'm not bothered by this. Covid is spreading through our local school at a rate of knots and I'm ok with anything that slows that down. The alternative is homeschooling, which My kids hated ( as did I) and they're used to seeing adults wearing masks around the place and don't seem particularly phased by it. Honestly no one is my circle of friend has batted an eyelid and I'm surprised by how venomous some people are about this. In fact my kids reported today that most kids in their class have already started wearing masks . I have a second, third and fifth class .

I don’t agree the alternative is school closures. Why close schools with such a high proportion of the adult population vaccinated, and any data I’m aware of showing this virus is less dangerous to children than the flu? Roll out boosters to the vulnerable, improve the health service and realise this virus is with us for a while yet.

I think making children wear masks is a pointless box ticking exercise. I don't think it will reduce transmission.. In fact I suspect that by touching their faces far more it is possible it could actually increase transmission. I work part time as an SNA and i see kids (who are 12, 13, 14) constantly fiddling with the masks and readjusting and messing with them.

With the best will in the world the voice of the teacher is a little muffled. I see teachers not able to hear students.. I see students not able to hear each other.. I see students tuning out.. Masks are not good in a learning environment. The kids are in pods and will be in the same classroom all day - wearing a mask while doing a shop or whilst walking around is different to wearing a mask whilst sitting at a desk learning Gaelige or whatever.

My daughter is in fourth class and I so disagree with this - there has been one case in her class in the whole time and that child didn't get it in the school. History will judge this time period..kids were not prioritised. They have already lost so much.. This is just one more thing.

I dont know what principal is going to have the courage to deny 9 yr olds entry tomorro or ongoinng. It is guidance not actually legal but will be enforced by the dept
Thats a legal view point.
So right teachers in fact adults can hang out in bars for 5 hrs with no masks and 9 yr old Children have to put up with this.i hope legal cases are piling up at the depts door

Kids can have birthday parties in the pub for how many hrs. Thats how farcical this is and cruel .

@Radyward

So hospitalisations down Numbers in icu down But hold on a minute lets mask healthy children over 9 now asap. . Oh and destroy businesses while they are at it for a virus with 99.9% recovery rate in people under age 17. So at the height of the pandemic with no vaccines it was ok for kids to go to school. This is just out outrageous. No rhyme/ reason. I dont care about cases alli care about is numbers in hospital . Its so insane the whole management of this. I was close to tears buying masks for my healthy kids today to prevent mild symptoms in other kids fgs and with 94% of teachers/ public vaxxed. I mean why arent vaccines mandated for teachers if masks are for kids !! I bet the INTO would have an opinion on that !! The govt have no guts / no perspective / no common sense / no care for kids. As for the school is safe brigade and baddie govt to say this all along. I mean do this brigade want kids to have NOTHING / NO EDUCATION fgs. Was listening to Today FM on way home from work today. Owner of jumpzone on 200 parties cancelled in the last 48 hrs . Very easy for civil servants to close the private sector down in a milli second.awful times sooooo depressing

This in spades!!!

There are kids who are coming home worried and scared about this virus.

It's wrong to put the onus on children, whether people believe it or not, a lot of children are thinking this is their fault.

The mask issue is only going exacerbate that fear.

Honestly why does any adult feel that burden and fear is ok to place on a 9yr olds shoulders.

Let's be completely honest, it won't be lifted in February, it will pushed to Easter, then Midterm, then to the end of the school year.

This is not temporary it's will be there to stay.

None of it makes any sense. I feel like our government and policy makers are just reactionary. They think up new restrictions just so they can show that they are doing something to pacify a hysterical media, without actually thinking if it is a proportionate response and balancing risks/ benefits. Kids are suffering again by limiting their activities, being made to feel dangerous or a risk to others while the grownups get to enjoy themselves in the pub. It just does not sit right with me at all.

I am utterly sick to the back teeth of this shitshow and the children of Ireland being made the scapegoats. It is nothing short of child abuse at this stage.

My DS11 has had covid twice and the only reason we knew was because he was a close contact at the time. I don't give a flying f**k about saving double vaccinated, boosted adults anymore or the completely inadequate health service. If you're that worried about getting it, lock yourself in but to expect young children to wear masks for 5/6 hours a day is shameful.

I sent emails to that twat Martin and that other twat Foley last night. They should be utterly ashamed of themselves. It is NOT a child's responsibility to take this on their shoulders. I am so mad over this and strongly thinking of just taking my DS out now at this stage and try to home-school him.

I was emotional this morning. My poor children. Its beyond cruel but there is NOTHING we can do other than emails which I have done. How dare the govt fudge irish childrens right to an education in the refusal of entry for non masked kids. Please someone start a go fund me to take a legal case. I would absolutely donate

There is a petition to stop mask wearing in primary on change.org but MN won't let me post the link.

It is being discussed on Liveline now. Not sure I agree with first parent she has told her child her "belief" is they shouldn't have to wear mask so implying it is child's choice!! What if she told her child that it was their "belief" they didn't need to wear a uniform? Surely to make it easier for the children shouldn't even suggest it is a choice as it is the child who will be refused access to school.

Maybe I am wrong who knows! Open to be contradicted on this

Just looked at the equality act2010 which states it is an offence to ask anyone to show proof of a medical exemption.so more laws flouted for the mask " cure" of this pandemic.

So did anyone see the complete nutter showing people how to make masks for babies on Virgin Media last night?

I really do despair. People have literally lost rational thinking.

@Radyward - thanks for this. My DS wears glasses so I'll be pushing this agenda.

I have a DS13 in second year and he has missed so much school from having sore throats and not being able to breathe in the mask. And now they're expecting younger children to do the same. I am so upset for the children of Ireland. The ones were are supposed to be protecting above all else.

If the other petition post is removed just look up face masks primary Change.org and it should bring you to the site

Sorry FMSucks - just seen you mentioned it too 🌟

If the schools are already aware a child might struggle with masks, they may not need to show proof of medical exemption Radyward.

I guess the reason they say others will need a cert are pragmatic, as many will opt out for non-medical reasons otherwise. Irish legislation does state that people are exempt fron wearing a mask if they have 'any physical or mental illness, impairment or disability'. I'm really not sure of the legal situation re medical certs in schools, but the Equality Act 2010 is British, not Irish, law.

I agree it's hard on children who wear glasses, they have a tendency to fog up when wearing a mask. There are various things you can do to reduce the problem - washing glasses with soapy water, wearing the glasses over the top of the mask if the glasses are large enough etc. Mine have glasses so I'll see how they get on.

It is not legally enforceable though is it? Are schools really going to turn children away from school?

The school my DS attends has told them they do not need to wear masks until we have further information. I have heard of other schools telling parents that they cannot legally enforce mask wearing.

I have emailed Leo, Michael and Norma again this morning.

I feel for the schools being left with this to implement. Minister Foley should be utterly ashamed of herself.

My daughter was delighted to pick put her own mask in Lidl and this morning only took it off to eat breakfast. If little things like wearing a mask spare us from further restrictions over the festive period then that's fine. Wearing a mask is not a big disaster and I think most 9year olds can take it in their stride as they are well used to their parents and other adults wearing them.
It seems that the government are going to be criticised for doing something and also for doing nothing. If more people were vigilant in the basics of hand washing annd wearing masks then this would greatly help. I think the public have let this side of things slip recently. No single thing will stop the spread of the virus but a few simple little things will help.
I'm encouraging my kids to do their bit.

Good grief. It's like reading a transcript of loonline here.

@saleorbouy

My daughter was delighted to pick put her own mask in Lidl and this morning only took it off to eat breakfast. If little things like wearing a mask spare us from further restrictions over the festive period then that's fine. Wearing a mask is not a big disaster and I think most 9year olds can take it in their stride as they are well used to their parents and other adults wearing them. It seems that the government are going to be criticised for doing something and also for doing nothing. If more people were vigilant in the basics of hand washing annd wearing masks then this would greatly help. I think the public have let this side of things slip recently. No single thing will stop the spread of the virus but a few simple little things will help. I'm encouraging my kids to do their bit.

Wow

@saleorbouy - do you wear a mask for hours on end every day while all the windows are left open while trying to listen to someone at the top of the room speak to you?

Do you actually think it's a young child's responsibility to curb the spread of a virus?

If you think the public have let this side of things slide recently do you think it is now the job of a young child to put us back on track?

Can no one see this is all to gear us up to be ok with jabs for kids? If you're ok with masking them up then the government will use that to gauge if the nation will be happy to inject our children too! I guarantee schools will be shut early for Xmas and it'll be the same time that jabs are rolled out for primary. Please see this for what it is 👀