School mask mandates spark debate across the country

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Tuesday that fully vaccinated people begin wearing masks indoors again in places with high Covid-19 transmission rates. The agency is also recommending kids wear masks in schools this fall.

Federal health officials still believe fully vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmission. Still, some vaccinated people could be carrying higher levels of the virus than previously understood and potentially transmit it to others.

“This pandemic continues to pose a serious threat to the health of all Americans,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters on a call. “Today, we have new science related to the delta variant that requires us to update the guidance regarding what you can do when you are fully vaccinated.”

The updated guidance comes ahead of the fall season, when the highly contagious delta variant is expected to cause another surge in new coronavirus cases and many large employers plan to bring workers back to the office. In mid-May, the CDC said fully vaccinated people didn’t need to wear masks in most settings, whether indoors or outdoors.

“In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends fully vaccinated people wear masks in public, indoor settings to help prevent the spread of the delta variant, and protect others. This includes schools,” Walensky said. The CDC recommends that everyone in grade schools wear masks indoors, “including teachers, staff, students and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.”

Walensky said new data shows the variant behaves “uniquely differently from past strains of the virus,” indicating that some vaccinated people infected with the delta variant “may be contagious and spread the virus to others.”

Health experts fear delta, already the dominant form of the disease in the U.S., is hitting states with low vaccination rates. Those states are now being forced to reintroduce mask rules, capacity limits and other public health measures that they’ve largely rolled back in recent months.

White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that the CDC was considering whether to revise mask guidance for vaccinated Americans, saying it was “under active consideration.”

“It’s a dynamic situation. It’s a work in progress, it evolves like in so many other areas of the pandemic,” Fauci, also the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN. “You’ve got to look at the data.”

The CDC’s guidance is only a recommendation, leaving it up to states and local officials on whether to reintroduce their mask rules for certain people. But even before the CDC’s anticipated guidance Tuesday, some regions were reintroducing mask mandates and advisories as Covid cases began to spike again.

Walensky said a majority of the hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. are occurring among unvaccinated people, pointing to vaccines she said worked well in protecting against severe illness and death. “But the big concern is that the next variant that might emerge, we’re just a few mutations potentially away where it could potentially evade our vaccines,” she said.

President Joe Biden said the CDC’s updated guidance was necessary to defeat the virus, and that he will lay out “next steps” to get more Americans vaccinated on Thursday.

“Although most U.S. adults are vaccinated, too many are not. While we have seen an increase in vaccinations in recent days, we still need to do better,” he said in a statement. “More vaccinations and mask wearing in the areas most impacted by the Delta variant will enable us to avoid the kind of lockdowns, shutdowns, school closures, and disruptions we faced in 2020.”

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[louiswatson]

I have the answer, the school districts should be split in half, the parents who want their kids to wear masks will go to school "A" and the parents who don't want their kids to wear masks will go to school "B" of course school "B" will be considerably smaller but problem is solved!

[johntack]

All parents should take up arms. These democrats are out of control.

[jackjust]

it should be up to the parents cuz what about the kids who have breathing problems

[JMK-ptxe]

Masks should be optional. Until there's serious pushback from people and students nothing will change.

[songohan]

Don't send your children to school

[leonardbreau]

Teaching is already difficult in today's society, now teachers have to deal with this crap?

[TripIX]

My local high school had a walkout to protest the mask mandates. I don’t understand. There’s no logical reason to enforce masks in a high school. The number of COVID-19 related deaths in the US for kids ages 5-18 in the past year is 358. In a country with roughly 350 million people, that accounts for of the population. In that same age group, 250 died from the flu in 2018 - 2019. If that number didn’t cause hysteria then, why is it now? Someone debate me, please. Make me understand.

[christinateresabrown]

If you want your kid to wear a mask no one is stopping you. Stop trying to control everyone.

[subarudriversubarudriver]

So some of them are supporting masks in school, but they arent wearing them. In schools its usually even hotter then the outside, so great parents. "Learn Learn and learn biology even if you are only good in IT. Be obedient, wear your mask ang get vaxxed" I hate parents like this.

[EfilistGoines]

Don't reopen the schools then the problem is solved. The parents chose to bring the children into existence into a society with rules. If you want to protect your children from societal rules then don't have children. If you don't want your children to wear masks then school them yourself.

[bobbyconway]

There’s no debate!!! For my family it’s a no or I pull my kids out of school

[louie]

Masks are and should be mandated.

I dont feel safe my nephew 8 and niece 5 going to school even wearing masks. Should be online only.

[pah]

Abbot and Costello:
Bud: ‘You can’t come in here!’
Lou: ‘Why not?’
Bud: ‘Well because you’re unvaccinated.’
Lou: ‘But I’m not sick.’
Bud: ‘It doesn’t matter.’
Lou: ‘Well, why does that guy get to go in?’
Bud: ‘Because he’s vaccinated.’
Lou: ‘But he’s sick!’
Bud: ‘It’s alright. Everyone in here is vaccinated.’
Lou: ‘Wait a minute. Are you saying everyone in there is vaccinated?’
Bud: ‘Yes.’
Lou: ‘So then why can’t I go in there if everyone is vaccinated?’
Bud: ‘Because you’ll make them sick.’
Lou: ‘How will I make them sick if I’m NOT sick and they’re vaccinated.’
Bud: ‘Because you’re unvaccinated.’
Lou: ‘But they’re vaccinated.’
Bud: ‘But they can still get sick.’
Lou: ‘So what the heck does the vaccine do?’
Bud: ‘It vaccinates.’
Lou: ‘So vaccinated people can’t spread Covid?’
Bud: ‘Oh no. They can spread Covid just as easily as an unvaccinated person.’
Lou: ‘I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.
Look. I’m not sick.
Bud: ‘Ok.’
Lou: ‘And the guy you let in IS sick.’
Bud: ‘That’s right.’
Lou: ‘And everybody in there can still get sick even though they’re vaccinated.’
Bud: ‘Certainly.’
Lou: ‘So why can’t I go in again?’
Bud: ‘Because you’re unvaccinated.’
Lou: ‘I’m not asking who’s vaccinated or not!’
Bud: ‘I’m just telling you how it is.’
Lou: ‘Never mind. I’ll just put on my mask.’
Bud: ‘That’s fine.’
Lou: ‘Now I can go in?’
Bud: ‘Absolutely not?’
Lou: ‘But I have a mask!’
Bud: ‘Doesn’t matter.’
Lou: ‘I was able to come in here yesterday with a mask.’
Bud: ‘I know.’
Lou: So why can’t I come in here today with a mask?, and if you say ‘because I’m unvaccinated’ again, I’ll break your arm.’
Bud: ‘Take it easy buddy.’
Lou: ‘So the mask is no good anymore.’
Bud: ‘No, it’s still good.’
Lou: ‘But I can’t come in?’
Bud: ‘Correct.’
Lou: ‘Why not?’
Bud: ‘Because you’re unvaccinated.’
Lou: ‘But the mask prevents the germs from getting out.’
Bud: ‘Yes, but people can still catch your germs.’
Lou: ‘But they’re all vaccinated.’
Bud: ‘Yes, but they can still get sick.’
Lou: ‘But I’m not sick!!’
Bud: ‘You can still get them sick.’
Lou: ‘So then masks don’t work!’
Bud: ‘Masks work quite well.’
Lou: ‘So how in the heck can I get vaccinated people sick if I’m not sick and masks work?’

[findingmo]

Almost 2M women out of workforce since the pandemic. Maybe they decided to start their own business?

[cmndrkool]

“My kid is depressed”

Well lady, it’s better than being on a ventilator, let alone dead.

[marekkolenda]

CDC recommend double or triple face mask protection.

[lesleymedina]

I don't get about mask makes depression

[davidellis]

If you are vaccinated you should not need to wear a mask.

[taddspencer]

Do or don't, it's your life and health....

[jamesmartin]

Yup, teach your kids not to listen to so called “experts” right? Because what do these experts know, right? If you get heart problems later on in life - why see a Cardiologist? Depression - you mean you seek advice from a Psychiatrist or Therapist?! About the pandemic & what’s the best course of action - geez, listen to your local garbage man cuz he’s the best guy to know about public health.