HOUSTON — The American Academy of Pediatrics is now telling parents that all kids over the age of two should wear a mask when heading back to school.
Let’s connect the dots.
Recommended all kids wear masks
Just when we thought the end of the coronavirus pandemic was in sight, the delta variant is helping drive case numbers back up and the finish line further away. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics is saying all kids, whether vaccinated or not, should mask up in the classroom.
They also recommended teachers and staff wear masks to help protect everyone.
CDC guidelines only unvaccinated
These recommendations are slightly different from what the CDC has been telling parents. Officials have said vaccinated students do not have to wear masks at school. But the AAP says it is prioritizing getting kids back into a physical classroom in the safest way possible. With so many children still not vaccinated, it could be tough to stop the spread of the extremely contagious delta variant.
Vaccine delays for kids under 12
Children under the age of 12 are still not eligible for vaccination. Health experts had been predicting that emergency authorization for shots for that age group would come this fall. Now the food and drug administration says that probably won’t happen until this winter. Meaning masks, social distancing and hygiene will still be part of the curriculum when school starts.