I am always amazed how some folks think that scientists and clinicians spend hours and hours trying to confuse folks about facts. But, those same folks are willing to believe 15 year olds, non-college graduates, and other sorts that expound their rumors and puffery really how things are.
Let me start with my own practice.
To this date, I do not enter a store- or a crowded venue (even if outside)- without donning a mask. And, I should make it clear that wearing a mask makes it much harder for me to breathe. So, I don’t take that decision lightly. (Oh- and I have not succumbed to COVID-19…yet.)
More importantly, we have some true data to substantiate my practice. To induce you to do the same!
Public schools (clearly not those in Florida, where Governor DeSantos loves to promote non-science) that required universal masking had SIGNIFICANTLY fewer COVID-19 case that those that either removed or never imposed such a mandate.
Drs. TI Cowger, EJ Murray, MT Bassett, BO Ojikutu, SM Sanchez, N Linos, KT Hall, and J Clarke published their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine., under the title: Lifting Universal Masking in Schools — Covid-19 Incidence among Students and Staff.
The researchers studied populations in the Massachusetts schools, since the mask mandate was lifted in February 2022, but two districts (Boston and Chelsea) maintained the mandate. (That meant some 70 school districts wiped away the requirement.)
The data demonstrated that 44.9 additional COVID-19 cases per thousand folks were manifested . That totals some 12000 cases during the 15 week period studied. Before the mandate was lifted, the school districts had similar COVID-19 case loads. More importantly, this situation meant there were about 17000 to 18000 missed school days for students and 6500 for staff.
It should also be noted that the school districts that maintained the mandate had lower income students, students of color, disabled students, and English learners, (These are the folks most at risk for contracting COVID-19.) Topping it off, the school buildings were older- which meant ventilation systems were probably inadequate; the class sizes were probably higher as well.
The research also investigated whether the schools used the funding to improve ventilation of the schools (or they already had done said improvements), as well as levels of vaccination of the students. They found such factors insufficient to change the tenor of the results.
Given the trifecta that is currently infecting America (COVID-19, RSV, and flu outbreaks) perhaps we should reconsider our mask mandate.
At this point in time, I’m not sure if a mask mandate would even work, at least, where in New York State I live. People have lost their fear of COVID (most everyone I know has had it) and apparently there isn’t too much concern about RSV. I think it would just be ignored or people would wear them with noses sticking out. Our county also has a relatively high population percentage of elderly people, so both are still very much a concern. And the latest bivalent booster doesn’t seem to be too popular, either. Yes, I am concerned about what the winter will bring, now that winter has arrived here.
We can only advise and hope, Alana. But, it’s a terrible shame that so many folks think scientists and physicians spend years thinking of ways to fool the populace and unexducated morons who spew fake theories are considered to be the oracles. (And, then, there’s the problem of our overwhelmed health system, dealing with the consequences of this stupidity.)
I can’t get over the number of cases just in our town with the Flu, RSV and Covid coming in third. There are so many youngsters that are affected and I’m assuming it;s because of them all together at school. Lia has been sick once in her four years before she started school, she had a bad cold two weeks into school and a few weeks ago she was rushed to ER by ambulance with a fever of 104+ and seizure, she had Flu-A, lost a week of school and still has a nasty cough that won’t go away.
So sorry to hear about Lia. This is why I have been advocating masks this season- too many chances to succumb to one of th ethree big diseases that are rampant.