Restraining us to our homes, setting a massive dent in the world’s economy, wiping out half of the world’s population and leaving the remaining half with lifelong ailments. The disease of Coronavirus brought along with it nothing but destruction, despair and tremendous losses.
Still lurking around, the moment when things start getting close to normal, pops out of the blue another variant of the Coronavirus. With symptoms and effects deadlier than the previous ones, people’s dream of the world getting back to normal is becoming more and more distant.
One thing that started as and still is a preventive measure against the contraction of Coronavirus is the wearing of masks. Despite its life-saving purpose as a protective shield, it’s no shocker that no one likes wearing masks.
Especially not ideal for warmer temperatures, masks are difficult to breathe in, irritable to wear and a major life adjustment that no one is happy about. Also, masks leave some stubborn, noticeable scars on the front line workers who are required to wear them for long time periods.
Despite the convenience masks inflict, it is a small adjustment to be safe and healthy during the pandemic. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean that people aren’t yearning to breathe freely once again, without the masks acting as obstacles.
The students especially, missing out on invaluable experiences due to the Coronavirus deserve to breathe freely and enjoy their student life to the fullest. Besides ruining what are supposed to be their best years, constant masking has taken a toll on the students’ social skills and language learning ability. So let’s check out what the experts have to say about when students can take off their masks in classes.
Centres of Disease Control and Prevention
The Centres of Disease Control and Prevention have asserted that now is not the time to stop wearing masks. In a statement addressing this question, the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention have announced that universal masking of students, faculty, other employees and visitors is mandatory to prevent the spread of the virus.
Even with people being fully vaccinated and community transmission rates low, none of them provides a 100% guarantee against further spread of the virus.
Hence, unless there comes up an antidote to completely kill off this deadly disease of Coronavirus, masking is necessary for students until further notice.
Joseph Allen, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Joseph Allen, professor of Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health holds a differing opinion. According to him, from January 2022, once the vaccination drive for younger children kicks off, wearing masks won’t be necessary.
Having special expertise in healthy buildings, Allen was earlier among the biggest proponents of wearing masks. Having said that, with changing situations of the Covid-19, he believes it’s time to take a different path and quit depending on masks.
Considering masking can only prevent the spread of the Coronavirus but not cure it, it shouldn’t be considered a permanent solution. Joseph Allen is of the belief that the health department should try influencing both the unvaccinated adults and children to get themselves vaccinated. He also advocates rigorous rapid antigen testing, ventilation and air purification to lower the risks of contraction.
Danny Benjamin, Honourable Professor of Pediatrics at Duke University and Co-Chair of the ABC Collaborative
Reputed Pediatrics Professor, Danny Benjamin of Duke University seconds Joseph Allen’s opinion. He too believes that from January 2022 when vaccination will be available for young children, students will be able to attend their classes mask-free.
Danny Benjamin is the co-chair of the ABC Collaborative, responsible for conducting some of the largest studies on masking efficacy in schools. Therefore, his opinion certainly qualifies to be among the credible ones to be considered or taken notes from.
According to the studies of Benjamin’s ABC Collaborative, to stop wearing masks, 70% of the students should be fully vaccinated. The adults, on the other hand, are required to be fully vaccinated and masked. Furthermore, since the risks and cases vary from district to district, the students belonging to areas with fewer cases can go mask-free.
Ali Mokdad, Professor of Global Health, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington
Ali Mokdad, prestigious professor of Global Health at the University of Washington, says to not even consider going to schools without masks until spring.
Mokdad suspects a significant rise in Covid-19 cases during the winter season and declination of the adult vaccination immunity. With the vaccine’s effectiveness withering away with time, not wearing masks can put the younger generation at high risks of getting infected.
Considering the students’ safety and how fragile their health is, it is probably best to take Mokdad’s advice to continue wearing masks. After all, they are the future of the world.
Seema Lakdawala, University of Pittsburgh
A respiratory virus expert at the University of Pittsburgh, Seema Lakdawala has provided us with a small glimmer of hope. She presumes that by February 2022, everyone, including students, can finally bid goodbye to masks. Whether that’s true or not, time will only tell.
K.S. Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India
President of the Public Health Foundation of India and adjunct professor of Epidemiology at Harvard University, K.S. Reddy has a situational answer to this question.
Reddy is of the belief that masking children at home and scantily populated situations isn’t necessary. However, in schools and school transport, the risks of contracting the virus are much higher, thereby making masking a necessity.
He further states that in situations where at least 70% of the adults in schools are vaccinated, the risks of the infection get lower. Hence, if the community transmission rates are low, schools can allow the students to attend classes without masks.
Dr. Sanjeev Bagai, Chairman of the Nephron Clinics
Renowned Doctor and Chairman of the Nephron Clinics, Dr. Sanjeev Bagai asserts on the fact that children carry as much viral loads as adults. Considering how none of the children are vaccinated yet, they carry high risks of infection and transmission of the Coronavirus.
Therefore, to prevent the spread of Coronavirus among them and adults too, Dr. Bagai is of the opinion that students should continue wearing masks.
World Health Organisation (WHO)
The WHO doesn’t assert the mandatory masking of students, especially the ones within the age group of 3 to 11 for safety reasons. It also states that masking in schools should depend on the community transmission rates, which, if low, isn’t required.
Taking into consideration the above-mentioned expert opinions, one thing is clear that there isn’t a single one to abide by. Hence, although annoying, the safest bet for students is to continue wearing masks until this disease becomes extinct and get vaccinated at the earliest.
