TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay schools are gearing up for a new school year to begin in just a few weeks.
In most counties, masks will be optional, but a leading national pediatrician group is recommending in-school masks for everyone — whether or not they’re vaccinated.
What You Need To Know
- The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending students wear masks in classrooms
- The guidance applies to all staff and students over the age 2, regardless of vaccination status
- No Bay Area school districts have announced plans to change their “optional” mask policies
- New variants may cause COVID to spread more easily among unvaccinated, group says
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that while in-person learning should be a “priority,” children over the age of 2 should mask up in the classroom.
"We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachers — and we all play a role in making sure it happens safely," Sonja O’Leary, chair of the AAP Council on School Health, said in a statement.
This recommendation applies to all students older than 2, as well as all school staff, unless medical or developmental conditions prohibit their use of a face covering.
Dr. Claudia Espinosa, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Florida Health, said this is a smart decision.
“We don’t want to have to start and then go virtual again because schools are closing because of the number of cases," Espinosa said. "That doesn’t make any sense — so it’s better to start safer and try to keep them open.”
AAP notes that many school-aged children aren’t eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine yet. Many school districts also do not have plans to track student or staff vaccination statuses.
The group said it is concerned that new variants might spread more easily among children.
Orlando-based pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones said combining layers of protection such as vaccinations, hand-washing and masks will make in-person learning safer for everyone.
“We know how effective it is in reducing the spread of this virus, but also other respiratory viruses,” Jones said. “So it doesn’t hurt, it can only help.”
Despite this announcement, no school districts in the Bay area have announced plans to change their “optional” mask policies based on the new AAP recommendation.
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its own guidance. The organization recommended schools maintain at least three feet of distance between students in classrooms combined with indoor mask-wearing by people who aren’t fully vaccinated.
"The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it’s not just their education that has suffered but their mental, emotional and physical health," O’Leary said in the statement. "Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone."