Official says masks should be worn in public from of age 2
Children over the age of two should wear masks while out in public, authorities said.
Dr Omar Al Hammadi, an official spokesman for the UAE government, said even very young people needed protection from Covid-19.
At Monday’s government briefing on the pandemic, he said: “Although children are less likely to develop severe symptoms, they can carry the disease and contribute to its transmission to others, so there must be important precautions to stop children from infection.
“It is recommended for children to wear masks if they are above two years old, but they should not wear it if they have any breathing problem, and cannot remove it themselves.”
The guidance is in line with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends all people aged two and above wear masks in public. UAE authorities previously said masks were required only for children aged six and above.
Abu Dhabi resident Maria Baker, who has three children aged between two and seven, said her youngest refused to wear one when they flew home to New Zealand for a holiday.
“Anything around her ears is a nightmare,” Ms Baker said.
“She’s too young to understand and, if anything, it would be a hassle because she will just fidget and pull it off. I’d rather keep her home than deal with the screaming [associated with] a mask.”
Marina Innes, who has triplets aged two and a half, said two of her children are happy to wear them.
One is more reluctant, but will comply, if necessary.
“It normally helps if she has the instruction from a security guard,” she said.
“The first time we went to the mall two of them were happy to, but one was really not keen.
They said ‘you can’t come in if you don’t wear one’, so she listened to them.
“I am one for keeping safe and keeping others safe, so as far as I am concerned my children should be wearing masks.”
Companies that make children’s masks said they had been inundated with requests since the updated recommendation was made.
“It’s gone crazy this morning. But we are quite lucky because we are overstocked in that segment,” said Kate Burford, who owns Molly and Me Kids’ Clothing, which has sold almost 30,000 masks since April.
She said masks for ages two and up were initially popular with people who were travelling, but fell out of favour when authorities said they were only required for children aged six and above.
The business, which Ms Burford runs with her husband in her spare time, began as a hobby when she made masks for her neighbours’ children so they could play together.
“Then the families wanted the masks as well, and then their friends wanted masks. We joined Instagram at the end of April.”
The business employs eight people, all of whom lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, and supports two tailors who had been on the verge of closing their doors.
“We can make 200 a day and we are selling about 2,000 a week. But we wanted to stock up well for the schools.”
Authorities in the UAE previously said face coverings were required only for children aged six and older