A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that mask mandates in schools can reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The study, which looked at Arizona's Maricopa and Pima Counties, found that K-12 schools without mask mandates are 3.5 times more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks compared to schools that enforce mask-wearing.
The CDC looked at 999 schools and it found that the schools doing the best have enforced mask mandates regardless of vaccination status indoors since the start of the school year.
The study found that 21% of the schools had an early mask requirement and 30.9% enacted a mask requirement between 9 and 17 days after the school year began. It went on to say that 48% had no mask requirement, and of the 191 COVID outbreaks from July 15 to Aug. 31, 113 were in schools with no mask mandates.
A different CDC study looked at the impact of mask mandates across the country, looking at 520 counties that started school between July 1 and Sept. 4.
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Of the schools in the data sample, the counties that did not have mask mandates had a higher rate of pediatric COVID cases after the school year began.
When schools required masks, the study showed that per 100,000 children, there were 16.32 cases. Schools that did not mandate masks had 34.85 cases per 100,000 children.
The study did note that all children in the country targeted were included in the data, not just kids who attended school. It also noted that teacher vaccination rates and school testing data were not controlled in the analyses and the sample size of the counties was small.
However, both studies found that "consistent and correct mask use is a critical strategy" for preventing COVID-19 infections in children.
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Still, some states have attempted to ban school districts from using mask mandates, leaving the decision up to parents on whether or not their kid is masked.
The CDC has continued to recommend masks for all while indoors, no matter vaccination status. In addition, experts like Dr. Michael Osterholm have also said that students should be masked and vaccinated — for all old enough to be eligible.
Before the start of the school year in Minnesota, Osterholm even said that students shouldn't be allowed in the classroom if they aren't vaccinated.
