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.

I can perhaps see them being withdrawn from the summer when rates are lower. I think they will leave the option to make them compulsory in autumn/winter though. I doubt they would be gone for good just yet - it depends on the vaccinations and variants I guess.

I would say there are far more significant factors that have had a massive effect on our children over the past year:

Fear of a killer pandemic, for themselves and their loved ones

Isolation from their friends, family and activities - detrimental affect on mental and physical health & development

Anxiety regarding major exam events/outcomes/future opportunities

Masks have been a useful tool in tackling transmission risk and I think many young people are happy to wear them as it has enabled them to return to school, see their friends and gives them a sense of contributing positively to the general effort.

It doesn't make a great deal of sense to me to withdraw facemasks in school in a first removal step.
Schools are full of people who by definition will not have been immunised so they can spread the virus even if not themselves badly affected.
They are crowded places where people can't help but be close up.

Surely they should remove in places like shops first (where you visit fleetingly) before schools?

I’ve worn a face mask at work for the last 15 years as PPE. It’s stops my face being covered in patient saliva and blood. As far as I know the only studies done have been to see whether masks are effective. The overwhelming evidence is that they are not so we are advised to wear face shields as well.
I have never felt that mask wearing has had any detrimental effect on my health, physical or mental. In fact it has a positive side effect that pre covid I was rarely recognised socially outside of work. Unfortunately during lockdown everyone recognises me in the supermarket now, and it takes ages to get round.
I’m baffled as to why face masks are a problem for schoolchildren. I would have loved to have hidden behind one when I was at school. There are no end of faces you can pull while wearing one. My nurse is particularly good at reading my eye movements when we see an awkward patient.
I do understand that for those who have hearing problems they are a real pain.

I actually would be very happy for society to go the way of Asia and face masks to be the social norm (not necessarily enforced by law, just social conformity) on public transport, especially when you've got a cold. I was shuddering remembering the olden days standing in a crowded tube train watching someone sneezing and coughing and then grabbing a hand rail...

And I am going to be incredibly pissed off is the Us4them lot start making waves yet again

It’s them behind the articles in the OP. They’re still sending legal threats to the govt.

Their ‘reports’ of kids reporting adverse effects from masks comes from them begging their own members on social media to send mask complaints to them. ‘My kid had a headache’ becomes ‘children report adverse side effects such as headaches caused by wearing masks at school’.

How is funding the legal fees of these people ? I don’t understand why they are doing this ? How did they have the ear of the Government last summer ? I can only conclude it’s because they don’t want children in school despite their claims to the contrary, all really odd and I starting to find it a little sinister.

Would be helpful if some of the journalists who lurk explored this further in the media, I think a lot of parents would be interested.

It is a concern that an organisation can claim to represent the needs of children in a Covid pandemic and get the ear of the government, when, judging by the response on here, they don't represent anything but their own daft beliefs. Check out the editor's note on the German study the OP mentions. It even warns that the research is biased and has no control group.

If twats4themselves actually gave a flying fuck they would be all over the government about the shit show that it the current assessment criteria that is being fobbed off on their children.

And this is said with no disrespect to the teachers that have once again been put in a difficult position by these arseholes.

How did they have the ear of the Government last summer?

Because their PR guy also advised Boris Johnson on his leadership campaign, so presumably had his direct mobile number just like James Dyson.

If Us4them actually cared about kids they'd be kicking off on their weekly newspaper column in the Telegraph about the cuts to free school meals funding instead of yet another tired and ill-informed rant about the evils of masks.

One of my students has been whinging about them. The rest are fine. I found it hard to teach in it to begin with but quickly got used to it.

I'd rather wear one forever than teach another lesson on Teams!

I think we should hold off removing masks from schools for the moment . I accept it will be 17 May though it would be better to wait until after half term in my view but no earlier please. Plenty of younger teachers haven’t been vaccinated and it is often forgotten that now that shielding has ended CEV kids have to go into school yet no sign of a kids vaccine. Also most asthmatics under18 haven’t had a jab either ( despite 16 and 17 yo can have Pfizer ) because the Govt doesn’t think those with a chronic respiratory disease should be protected in the middle of a respiratory virus pandemic . And some of the younger teachers might fall into that category too. We all want this to be over with - what’s a few more weeks ? My kids are fine with masks and I think most kids I know are the same.

The most anxious my Dd was was before Christmas when covid was rampant round the school but no one was mask wearing. She felt a lot better when she could wear a mask. For those older children with older parents, they also felt better as they felt they were likely to bring it home.

There does have to come a time when the disadvantages to communication, comfort and learning outweigh the advantages. By may 17th over 30s should have been offered the vaccine. It’s not reasonable to continue indefinitely. The kids have accepted it because of the alternative but things have changed considerably since December and I don’t think it’s fair to continue when risk is very low

By may 17th over 30s should have been offered the vaccine

Booking opening to over 30s doesn’t mean vaccinated, and vaccinated doesn’t mean protected. There will be teachers in their 40s still not 3 weeks post first jab by then.

@Phineyj

One of my students has been whinging about them. The rest are fine. I found it hard to teach in it to begin with but quickly got used to it.

I'd rather wear one forever than teach another lesson on Teams!

I have found that the only students that moan about masks are the ones that moan about everything.

Just FYI to those that will bleat on about SEND, the ones that are exempt are not wearing masks with the blessing of the school, staff and pupils.

@noblegiraffe

By may 17th over 30s should have been offered the vaccine

Booking opening to over 30s doesn’t mean vaccinated, and vaccinated doesn’t mean protected. There will be teachers in their 40s still not 3 weeks post first jab by then.

It doesn’t take 3 weeks for immunity. Children over 12 at high risk can have the vaccine. Some people would like masks indefinitely but All restrictions are meant to go by middle of June aren’t they?

Which vaccine is approved for use on children over 12?

I certainly don’t want masks indefinitely but arguing that May 17th is the right date because over 30s will have been offered the vaccine by then doesn’t follow.

I think perhaps after half term for schools, if local area rates are low and leaving it to the discretion of the HT. At least protect the y11 and y13s doing their final assessments from risk of further disruption of bubbles bursting.

41% of teachers as yet unvaccinated according to Teacher Tapp yesterday.

Worth remembering that while infection rates are very low, they are higher in school children than other age groups and that population are also nearly 100% unvaccinated. More caution should be taken there than with other activities, not less.

It doesn’t take 3 weeks for immunity

It certainly may take some weeks to build immunity, and that won’t be full immunity after only one jab. Please don’t minimise or dismiss the concerns of education staff with regard to their health and safety.

It may take few weeks for your body to build up some protection from the vaccine. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so you should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.

^www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-what-to-expect-after-vaccination/what-to-expect-after-your-covid-19-vaccination^

@noblegiraffe

I liked it when the anti-lockdowners tried to get the hashtag NoMasksInClass trending, and it was hijacked by loads of teenagers telling them to shut the fuck up, stop speaking for them, and that they were personally fine with masks.

I didn't know about that, but it exactly echoes how my 15yo dd feels about this. She can't understand the fuss, her friends can't understand the fuss, it isn't a big deal and none of them want to pass on the virus to their teachers.

It doesn’t take 3 weeks for immunity

As another poster said, the gov.Uk site says It may take few weeks for your body to build up some protection from the vaccine. How many weeks would you say is "a few"?

Some people would like masks indefinitely have you got a link to a survey showing this, would be interested to read it, thanks.

I did ask DS how he is feeling about masks and it just doesn’t rank as something that’s an issue. He feels it is something he can do do help protect teachers and really wants to be in College as wants to do a Maths degree and potentially has entrance exams in the autumn which they are being helped prepare for .Wearing a mask for a bit longer just isn’t an issue for him and doesn’t appear to be for any of his friends which I had got that feeling but thought as should actually ask and nit assume.