CDC BACKS SCHOOL MANDATES
Study proves mask policies prevent outbreaks in schools
Schools without a mask requirement could be 3.5 times more likely to have coronavirus outbreaks compared with schools that require masks, according to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies.
“These studies found that school districts without a universal masking policy in place were more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks. Nationwide, counties without masking requirements saw the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases increase nearly twice as quickly during this same period,” read a CDC press release.
The CDC on Friday released three new studies demonstrating the importance of masks in schools with one report from Arizona showing that schools in two of the state’s most populous counties were 3.5 times more likely to have virus outbreaks if they didn’t have a mask requirement at the start of the school year.
In that study, out of 191 school-associated coronavirus outbreaks that occurred, 113 were in schools that had no mask requirement and 62 were in schools that implemented masking a couple weeks after the school year began. Only 16 schools with an early mask policy had outbreaks.
Another study looked at COVID-19 cases in kids during the two weeks following the start of school.
The average change in case rates, about 16 cases per 100,000 people per day, was lower in counties with school mask mandates compared to schools without one, which was around 34 cases per 100,000 people per day, according to the data.
The third CDC report released Friday examined school closures caused by coronavirus.
There have been about 1,800 school closures nationwide so far this year, but 96% of public schools have been able to stay open for full in-person learning, which authors said highlights the importance of using several COVID prevention strategies.
The number of school closures was highest in the south.
The CDC is currently recommending masking in schools among other measures such as vaccination, handwashing and proper ventilation.
In Massachusetts, all public school students and teachers are required to mask up inside until at least Oct. 1 when the policy could be extended, changed or discontinued.
The school year in the Bay State kicked off about two weeks ago, and nearly 4,000 positive cases have been reported among staff and students so far.