Government has failed to evaluate potential harms to pupils

[1stMrsF]

It's been reported in the Telegraph and Daily Mail that PHE "did not consider" the negative health impacts of requiring children to wear facemasks in the classroom.

Nick Gibb, Minister for School Standards questioned about this today commented that children 'didn't seem to mind' wearing masks, even though the Government's own survey found that 80% of children are struggling to communicate wearing a mask and more than 50% felt it was affecting their ability to learn.

The government cannot produce any evidence that the benefits of this policy outweigh the potential harms, as the scientific evaluation hasn't been done. Whilst it's possible (but not confirmed) that face coverings in schools will be removed in Step 3 of the government roadmap, this will be at the earliest from 17 May, still 3 weeks away. The government has not confirmed under what criteria this measure will be removed, so still has the ability to push out this date, nor has it ruled out any future reintroduction.

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that wearing mask for prolonged periods can have a negative impact on physical and mental health, especially in children who are more susceptible to the effects.

This article collates information from 44 experimental studies and 65 publications on the side effects of face masks. A wide variety of statistically significant confirmed side effects and dangers are reported and the article notes “Children are particularly vulnerable and may be more likely to receive additional harm” and “repeated exposure over longer periods is relevant. Long-term disease-relevant consequences of masks are to be expected.”

This study published in Germany where data was collected from a total of 25,930 children wearing a face mask for an average of 270 mins a day found that 68% reported impairments including irritability (60%), headache (53%), difficulty concentrating (50%), less happiness (49%), reluctance to go to school (44%), malaise (42%), impaired learning (38%) and drowsiness or fatigue (37%)

The government guidance for schools impels them to 'ensure face coverings are used where recommended' but makes them responsible for carrying out a risk assessment and consequently a legal case is being brought against a UK school and is in court tomorrow. Most schools will be unaware of this terrible position the Department for Education has put them in.

If you share my concerns, please write to your MP asking them to call for facemasks in the classroom to be removed immediately (no school needs a one week notice for this) and permanently, as we cannot continue with any measure for children in the knowledge that safety has not been evaluated.

You can also write to your school, making them aware of this issue. I have no doubt this policy has been implemented in good faith by schools who have dutifully followed all government guidelines without intending to harm children, but it is nonetheless their responsibility to safeguard the children in their care.

@ArnottsUnderpass

Erm kids of phonics age don't wear masks?

Exactly this.

Totally unreasonable.

What about the documented risks to teenagers of long Covid?!

My daughter hears at 70% of normal at the best of times. Mask wearing is making school unbearable.
She can’t hear the teacher and can no longer rely on lip reading. It’s not just the lessons, but general instructions and just banter with her friends. She is told off frequently as she can’t hear instructions. She’s becoming very withdrawn and anxious.

kindle why on earth haven’t you discussed it with the school?

Teachers can remove masks when giving instructions to hearing impaired students.

I have and they do in lessons. However, when moving around the school they all teachers can’t be maskless and there are too many teachers to know her individually. Also pupils aren’t that easy to distinguish en masse with face coverings. All her friends can’t be maskless so she can’t join in conversations either so she’s left out.

I don't think it is mask wearing that has delayed speech in young children. It is lack of the normal social interactions over the past year.

Better to be in school and masked than attempting online school unmasked.

Oh have a because I am tired of anti-scientific covid deniers talking nonsense.

Of course we can disagree with you - you are posting fringe views.

@kindlekeeper

My daughter hears at 70% of normal at the best of times. Mask wearing is making school unbearable. She can’t hear the teacher and can no longer rely on lip reading. It’s not just the lessons, but general instructions and just banter with her friends. She is told off frequently as she can’t hear instructions. She’s becoming very withdrawn and anxious.

This issue't is a real concern I appreciate, so just sending to recognise this is a very hard time for your DD.

I feel masks are required but balancing harms is really tough and clearly your DD is having a tough time.

One thing you must be able to get sorted is that she shoudl not be told off for not hearing instructions - they must make adjustments for her. I would seek a 1-1 zoom with the head or head of year and get this sorted out.

I don't see many issues reported in Asian countries where this has been the norm for years- and there wasn't the same objection in Australia when they were compulsory. Britain and the USA seem to be the biggest complainers regarding this.

Kindle, have you thought about an hearing aid for your daughter? It changed my life at school, tough as I was (wrongly) embarrassed, given my age but it really was a God send

We do know that mask wearing is delaying speech in young children.

Do we? Young children aren't required to wear masks.

Let me remind you of the situation just before Christmas:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4114000-The-infection-rate-for-pupils-last-week-was-2-509-out-of-100-000

Oh for goodness sake, the negative effects of having no face to face schooling or interaction with their peers was a lot more detrimental to school pupils than wearing masks.

Do I love DS15 having to wear a mask for school - No because it aggravates his acne and costs money every day.
Do I think it makes much of a difference- not sure a bunch of teens wearing the same sweaty mask all day is going to have much of a containment effect but presumably slightly better than nothing .

I wake up every morning and I'm just so relieved he is back at school. We as DPs should do whatever they ask in the short term to allow that to continue- obviously not if your DC can't wear a mask or has hearing issues. Once everyone is vaccinated let's see where we are then.

I have read what you have written and whilst I understand the point you are making I disagree with you. I accept that masks may result in the things outlined in your posts but believe these things are massively offset by the benefits of DC being in school as them being at home effects far more than just learning and I think you are being incredibly blinkered and short sighted focusing on what you are.

They also failed to evaluate the harms to secondary pupils and school staff in the autumn term when covid ran rampant through many schools. Some students were ‘house bound’ due to isolating multiple times as a result of covid spreading through schools unchecked. Mask wearing is a small price to pay to keep schools open in the absence of other risk mitigation measures.

My secondary aged child is fine wearing a mask. In fact they struggled in the autumn term with the dichotomy between all the Covid measures in public places and the fact that their school was not much different to normal bar separated year groups, hand gel, open windows and a one way system.

We should ask students what their opinions are.

And I am going to be incredibly pissed off is the Us4them lot start making waves yet again that does anything to jeopardise my Dc’s education yet again. Haven’t forgotten the pressure that was put in the Government to get the, back with no mitigation and where that got us last year and this time I will not sit back quietly.

@SoupDragon totally agree with you. No mask wearing for under 11s is required in England and DfE guidance discourages primary school staff from wearing them too.

I'm amazed at how my children (teen/young adult) have just got on with mask wearing without a single whinge or complaint.

I hate handing out DS's masks in the morning but he's never complained and accepts it as what will hopefully be a short term fix.

Im more concerned that a large proportion of the windows in DS's school can not be opened.

The kids are absolutely fine with it-they have been wearing them for ages and don’t complain at all-it’s not a problem.

I don’t know of any primary teachers doing phonics teaching where either teacher or child is wearing a mask. The language delays in eyfs were due to a lack of social contacts-mainly from not seeing anyone during lockdown and the preschools and toddler groups being closed.

Us4Them are very wrong here.

My dc says children at his school have no problem wearing them. We had no SI in our dc's year group, just one in other year group since Sept in a huge secondary. Disruptive education do more harm to the children than feeling a bit uncomfortable by wearing a mask.

I disagree. And facemasks are going to end on the 17th May anyway - just a couple more weeks!

I'm more interested to hear when bubbles and social distancing measures in schools are supposed to end, that's had a much bigger adverse effect on the day to day operation of DH and DC's schools than facemasks.

And facemasks are going to end on the 17th May anyway - just a couple more weeks!

No they aren't, in England those measures are just going to be reviewed "no earlier than 17th May". From the gov.uk website

Finally, before Step 4 begins, the government will complete a review of social distancing and other long-term measures that have been put in place to cut transmission. This will inform decisions on the timing and circumstances under which the rules on 1 metre plus, the wearing of face coverings and other measures may be lifted.

Ok fair point - but the March 8th, March 29th and April 12th lockdown roadmap dates have all been followed to the letter, and we are now down to such a low level on all fronts (cases, hospitalisations, deaths) that I can't see any reason why the changes due to happen no earlier than May 17th won't also be followed. Hence I think the OP's petition is a waste of everyone's time.

@Xiaoxiong

Ok fair point - but the March 8th, March 29th and April 12th lockdown roadmap dates have all been followed to the letter, and we are now down to such a low level on all fronts (cases, hospitalisations, deaths) that I can't see any reason why the changes due to happen no earlier than May 17th won't also be followed. Hence I think the OP's petition is a waste of everyone's time.

It never said "no face masks from this date if all is well" though, it says "on this date we will start looking at when to withdraw them." Other things have been of the "if all is well we will do this" variety

Don't get me wrong, I'd love them to be withdrawn but I don't think that is their plan.