Teachers unions call for the mask mandate rollbacks to be informed by science, not politics, and call for states to establish policies around when masks would or would not be required in schools should there be another surge in cases.
As more states plan to lift mask mandates in schools, several teachers unions said they are not opposed to the idea of children being unmasked in classrooms but want to ensure those decisions are based on science.
She added, “We have to be talking about the offramp for masks, and we asked for that conversation — that’s based upon science, instead of politics — back in November before omicron.” Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said local considerations should drive decisions about whether to lift mask mandates in schools. Among the most important factors are case counts and hospitalization rates in the community, she said. When both are relatively low, there is less chance overall that the virus will spread among students.
At a legislative hearing Tuesday to discuss mask requirements in Connecticut, union leaders advocated for clear guidance about how the state would navigate such issues in the future. “We are mere weeks beyond a 30 percent positivity rate,” Dias said. “We need to keep in mind that a high positivity rate means teachers and students are missing from classrooms.”
Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, said it’s appropriate to roll back some restrictions now that vaccines are widely available to anyone over age 5 and with the situation improving in several states. Tiffany Macauley, a Connecticut teacher and mother of five, agreed that it is time to let parents decide whether to continue masking their children.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Teachers' union leader signals willingness for masks to come off: 'No one wants masks in schools'Any plan to unmask children in the fall was put on hold by the arrival of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus, which forced schools across the country to temporarily close in January.
Les mer »
National teachers union chief: Mask mandate rollback should hinge on student vax ratesAppearing on Morning Joe, Randi Weingarten was asked if she supported governors who have moved to end to the mark requirements this week.
Les mer »
Murphy to end school masking rules in NJ next monthBREAKING: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will end the state's school masking mandate next month, his office confirmed. Starting March 7th, students, staff and visitors will no longer have to wear face coverings while inside school buildings.
Les mer »
Murphy to end masking rules at NJ schools and daycares next month“Our reality is dramatically different than a lot of other states right now,” Governor Murphy said. “Because we’ve gone through it first, we can responsibly take this step.”
Les mer »
Court Rules Perkiomen Valley School District Must Require Masks After Parents SueA federal court has ordered Perkiomen Valley Schools to require masking in schools for now. This comes after the parents of three children sued.
Les mer »
Masks in Illinois schools: Some districts make it optional, while others still require they be wornPassionate debate over masking in schools brought a school board meeting to a halt Monday night.
Les mer »