A number of schools throughout America are reintroducing face mask requirements as new Covid cases soar. Since late last month, Kinterbish Junior High School in Alabama has requested that all students, faculty, and visitors begin wearing face masks in the classrooms and corridors "due to the slow rise of Covid cases in the area".
The more than 1,700-student Talladega City School system in Alabama has likewise advised students and employees to wear masks, but emphasised that doing so is "encouraged but not required."
Although only a small number of students at the Maryland elementary school tested positive for Covid, this week's announcement that students must wear snug-fitting N95 masks for 10 days incited indignation.
While facial coverings are highly promoted in some classes in Los Angeles, New York health officials are also giving away free masks to schools in the state in response to increased Covid rates and absenteeism.
Despite arguments that the face masks hindered children's learning and social relationships, the requests for masks are a throwback to the pandemic's darkest days.
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Despite mounting evidence that masks not only were ineffective at stopping the spread of the virus but also hindered children's learning, social relationships, and natural immunity to other viruses (Getty Images)Around 120 children between the ages of five and fourteen attend Kinterbish Junior High School in Cuba, Alabama, whilst 1,792 kids between the ages of four and 18 attend Talladega City Schools. Additionally, New York State will deliver Covid testing and masks to needy school districts.
The state's districts will receive an outreach survey asking if they need supplies, which will then be distributed, according to governor Kathy Hochul's announcement on Tuesday.
In the US, case rates are gradually rising. According to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, the test positivity rate, or the percentage of swabs that come back positive, increased dramatically from 6.7 percent in the week ending July 15 to 13.5 percent on August 19.
The increase in cases of the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the bacterial illness Strep was attributed to masks (Getty Images)Schools in Los Angeles have chosen to adopt an optional masking policy in place of some of the nation's tightest Covid regulations, such as mask mandates, 10-day illness quarantines, and weekly Covid testing.
However, the Los Angeles Unified School District, which enrolls more than 429,000 students in kindergarten through grade 12, has a much laxer policy on illness. Alberto Carvalho, the superintendent of schools for Los Angeles, pushed children to attend class even if they were ill to lower absenteeism rates.
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