Jefferson County Public Schools landed on Turning Point USA’s school board watch list this summer after they decided to reinstate mask mandates for children attending those schools.
JCPS announced that universal masking will continue until Jefferson County ceases to be in the ‘red’ level for COVID cases. Some are concerned about mask-wearing in outdoor situations at recess for the children, when it will be rather hot. Other concerns remain about young children or Pre-K children wearing the masks when they still need to learn phonics.
It seems like the pandemic is pretty much over in the United States. The official case fatality rate for Covid19 has declined from around 5% in August 2020 to around 1% in August 2022, according to Worldometers.
As we know, the elderly and obese are at more risk than the young and physically fit. So, most children are not high risk for fatality with Covid19. Some teaching staff are elderly. But treatments are available in case they become ill.
The major waves of Covid19 hospitalization in the country have been in November 2020–February 2021, August-October 2021, and December 2021–February 2022.
August 2022 has had a moderate rise in Covid19 hospitalizations.
JCPS could recognize an alternative policy for tackling Covid19. If children are symptomatically ill, then they can stay home. If they are carrying Covid19 but are non-symptomatic, then a mask will not help much to slow the spread of the disease.
In the time since the initial waves of Covid19, we have developed vaccines and have learned that Ivermectin is effective in combating the viral replication of SARS-COV-2. We have known this since April 2020, and follow up studies have confirmed that. Of course, since it works by preventing viral replication, early treatment with Ivermectin would be essential if going that route to combat the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes Covid19.
Covid19 is not as formidable of an opponent as it used to be, barring a mutation that might turn things around. We should start acting that way but be willing to “play it by ear” in case conditions worsen. Currently, the masks seem unnecessary.
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