American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends all students over two years wear a mask.
On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that all students over the age of two wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status, when schools reopen in the fall.
The leading pediatric organization called for mass concealment, noting that most school-age children are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Many schools are not planning to track the vaccination status of students and staff.
The recommendation is designed to protect unvaccinated students, as masking has been shown to reduce transmission of the virus.
However, the AAP said it "strongly recommends personalized learning," adding that children face more significant risks of mental health problems and developmental setbacks if students do not return to the classroom.
The pediatrics group acknowledged that current research indicates reopening schools with safety precautions such as masking "does not significantly increase community transmission." But as variants like the Delta strain spread, the AAP notes that transmission could increase.
Overall, the AAP says opening schools with adequate safety precautions, including concealment, is the right move.
"There are many children and others who cannot be vaccinated," Sarah Budd, chair-elect of the American School Health Association's School Health Executive Committee, said in a statement. " it is essential to use every tool to protect children from COVID-19. Mass masking is one of those tools."
Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is the only approved vaccine for children 12 years of age and older eligible for vaccination.
(CDC) updated its guidance for schools earlier this month, saying that fully vaccinated students and teachers do not need masks indoors.
The Centers for Disease Control also urged all schools to reopen for in-person learning in the fall after the pandemic prompted schools to operate on distant, mixed schedules.
The new recommendation comes as discussions about mass masking are re-emerging with the rise of COVID-19 cases nationwide.
This weekend, Los Angeles County re-enacted the requirement to wear a mask in indoor public spaces.
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