(PresidentialInsider.com)- In a move that once again proves that politics, not science, is steering the COVID bus, Washington DC public schools announced a mask mandate for all students and staff when the upcoming school year begins on August 30.
According to district chancellor Lewis Ferebee, the mandate applies to students, teachers, and even visitors. No exception for fully vaccinated people is mentioned in the mandate. Ferebee said that the guidelines and protocols are fluid and may shift “as things evolve.”
But the guidelines and protocols are at odds with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that states those who have been fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks in most circumstances.
Currently the emergency use authorization for COVID vaccines does not include children younger than twelve. Last Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised schools to enforce masking for all children older than two regardless of vaccination status.
Sara Bode, chairwoman of the Academy’s Council on School Health Executive Committee, said schools should use “every tool in our toolkit to safeguard children from COVID-19.” Bode named “universal masking” as one of those tools.
The Chicago Public Schools also indicated last week that students, teachers and staff would be required to wear masks inside. However, during outdoor activities and while eating, masks will not be required.
Children are by far the least affected demographic when it comes to COVID-19. As of July 15, children only made up between 0% and 0.26% of all COVID deaths. Among children who test positive for coronavirus, only 0% to 0.03% die of the virus.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis refuses to permit schools to reinstitute a mask mandate. In a press conference on Thursday, Governor DeSantis said that, despite the murmurings about making masking compulsory in schools, “we’re not doing that in Florida, okay?”
Saying in Florida, they want kids to be kids, DeSantis said that children need to be able to breathe and mask-wearing makes that uncomfortable for them. “There’s not very much science behind it,” he said.
DeSantis pointed out that there was little difference in infection rate between schools that masked and schools that didn’t, adding that he would leave it up to parents to decide whether or not their children would wear a mask to school.
In response, the corporate media accused DeSantis of being “tyrannical” for leaving the decision up to the parents rather than imposing a statewide order.
Stop and marvel at that irony.
