Masks are absolutely indicated in school, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Now that most children are back in school, the majority of them in person, parents and kids need to continue their vigilance against becoming infected with COVID. Allison Agwu, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Johns Hopkins, says that starts with masking up.

Agwu: Masks, masks and more masks, and I think even if masks are not being required really masking in schools and out of schools, to protect yourself, particularly in indoor spaces or where you can’t guarantee the distancing. Many schools are putting in distancing within the desks, the lunch, etc, and emphasizing the importance if your school doesn’t have that, of masking, distancing and making sure you’re being safe, a few schools don’t do that, most are, and talking to your kids about abiding by those rules for masking and distancing  .:27

Agwu notes that parents can help their kids by making sure they’ve got more than one mask on hand if one is soiled, and helping them run through strategies to avoid risking contagion in settings like sports or the cafeteria. She says parental support is critical. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.