Infectious disease experts advocate for making masks optional in schools

This week, the Washington Post published an opinion piece written by three infectious disease specialists, Shira Daron, Westyn Branch-Elliman, and Elissa Perkins. They argue that schools should make masks optional, not required, especially in light of the CDC’s updated guidelines on respirators.

The authors point out both the ineffectiveness of cloth masks and the social and mental hardships that masking has caused school children to support their case.

The CDC’s updated guidelines, posted on January 14, declared well-fitting N95s and KN95s to be the most effective means of preventing infection by COVID-19. Conversely, loosely woven cloth coverings offer the least protection, according to the guidelines. This is due to the nature of COVID transmission—it’s airborne. 

This comes as no surprise to the many critics of mask mandates who have long pointed out the limited effectiveness of masking. However, the new guidelines reinforce that point, and they put to bed the argument that a child must mask to protect other children. As experts in the op-ed say, “Respirators and other high-quality masks are highly effective at protecting their wearers, regardless of what people around them are doing. That makes the old mantra ‘my mask protects you and your mask protects me’ obsolete. As a result, schools can finally safely make masks optional for students and staff.”

They also point out the significant impact masking has on students. “Some older children have been given detentions and even suspensions due to ‘mask slippage’ or improper mask-wearing. Younger children have also been subjected to harsh rules to minimize the spread of COVID-19 during lunch hours, often their only mask-free time during the school day,” the infectious disease specialists said.  “Some must eat in total silence during mealtimes. Others have ‘expedited’ lunch or are instructed to pull their mask down to take a bite and pull it back up to chew. Activities intended to relieve stress, including recess and gym, have been curtailed because of the danger of ‘increased exhalation.’”

Recent evidence is making it clear, then, that it is in the best interest of students for schools to resume and maintain in-person learning, as well as relax mask mandates.