Experts state that outbreaks at schools may be impossible to avoid altogether, but teachers, governments and school boards can find creative ways to mitigate the risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As families express concerns over the Ontario government’s back-to-school plans, experts are providing key recommendations to ensure things do not get out of hand once children head back to the classroom.
If proper social distancing is not followed and if children are not wearing face masks, the worst-case scenario could be that the disease spreads from one child to a whole classroom or school and then make its way to families and the community.
Schools are advised to perform daily symptom checks with the families of students to predict if a child has COVID-19. Temperature checks could also be used but should not be solely relied on. If symptoms are present, families are advised to keep the child at home and away from vulnerable family members.
Experts have been stressing the importance of face masks for children going back to school to prevent the potential spread of the disease. The Ontario government’s current school plan states that elementary school children in kindergarten up to Grade 8 will return to school five days a week and non-medical face masks will be mandatory for students in Grade 4 to Grade 12.
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Learn how to stay safe by enrolling in a mask fitting test which is a requirement for many workplaces and school admissions or the available masks for sale by visiting our face mask sale page.
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https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200504-coronavirus-what-is-the-best-kind-of-face-mask
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/cloth-face-coverings-information.pdf