Virginia health experts discuss new optional school mask law - WDVM 25

WINCHESTER, Va. (WDVM) — Several schools in Virginia are changing their mask policies after Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a new legislation leaving the decision to parents whether their child wears a mask or not. What do health experts think about this new legislation?

The great debate over making mask an option has come to an end, but health experts say this could make putting an end to the pandemic a little more difficult.

As COVID-19 cases slowly decrease across the country, some communities in Virginia are not seeing the same thing.

“Hospital volumes are down from what they’ve been but compared to other times in the pandemic, we’re still seeing relatively high numbers of cases in the community,” said Jeffrey Feit, Population Community Health Officer for Valley Health System in Winchester.

With this new legislation making masks optional in schools, health experts like Feit it should vary by area.

“It would be great to have the ability to be flexible within our community to react to our local circumstances and and work with the schools as we have from the beginning on whether or not masking would be beneficial,” said Feit.

He says the best way to keep your children safe from COVID-19 in a mask optional environment is by wearing a mask.

“If you’re trying to protect yourself in that situation, a higher infiltration mask like an a 95 will give you more protection,” he said.

As for those who choose not to have their kids mask up, getting vaccinated is also an option.

“We haven’t seen lots of folks come down with late term vaccine effects. So I think for the folks who are saying I’ll wait until we know it’s safe, I would ask them respectfully to reevaluate,” said Feit.

Although cases are no longer at it’s peak, Feit says don’t let your guard down.
“We’re still at a higher rate of covid right now than we have been in probably more than 60% of the pandemic. The trajectory is definitely better,” he said.

Feit says we’ll have to wait and see how this new law could affect the transmission rate in schools

source: https://www.localdvm.com/news/local-news/virginia-health-experts-discuss-new-school-masks-law/

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