Unmask Kids?

 

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Schooling, Education, Health, Medicine 

Ed Hessler

Science writer Faye Flam wrote a thoughtful opinion piece for Bloomberg on letting kids doff masks as well as vaccinated people. Below are her reasons.

--For kids, the disease is comparable to influenza.

--It's time to stop asking America's kids to make sacrifices to protect older people now that all adults are eligible for the vaccines.

--One starting place is letting kids unmask, at least outside.

--The better way to protect kids is for adults to get vaccinated. It is past time for older Americans to their part for the kids. Israel vaccinated more than 60% of adults. Cases dropped by 99% across all age groups. The virus simply wasn't in wide circulation. Vaccination also reduces the odds of transmission.

--I repeat myself with this but the point is important. High vaccination rates will reduce everyone's risk by reducing the amount of virus circulating. (my emphaisis)

And finally I want to close with her comments on evidence. "The only restrictions on kids should be ones that protect kids--and there should be at least some minimal amount of evidence that such restrictions would help. Children have already been put through far too much in the name of protecting adults."

Flam's essay will likely stir the pot on this question and reminds me that the best we can do is make informed judgments based on the evidence we have. There is no certainty.

Her article was reproduced in the Star Tribune and should be read in full.