The city of New York lifted the obligation to wear masks in schools on Monday, after a significant drop in COVID-19 cases that has allowed the elimination of many of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic and new guidelines from health authorities. from the United States.
Other school districts in large cities such as Houston and Dallas, both in Texas, and in Anchorage, Alaska, already took similar measures last week, while in Philadelphia and Chicago children will be able to attend schools without masks starting Wednesday and the following day. Monday, respectively.
Many parents, however, still worry about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines in children under 5, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey published by Reuters revealed last month.
But there are also families delighted that their children no longer have to wear a mask and, despite the liberation, some children will continue to wear a face covering in schools and others will not.
It is parents, teachers and school principals who are faced with the delicate balance of applying the new provisions and understanding remaining fears.
Support for masks in schools has been on the decline since September, when two-thirds of people and more than 60% of parents favored some level of mask requirements, the Kaiser foundation said.
However, on Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dramatically eased its guidelines for wearing masks indoors, including in schools.
Those who doubt the wisdom of ending the use of masks in schools often point to the low rates of childhood vaccination among American children.
According to the CDC, only about a quarter of children between the ages of 5 and 11 are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, while for ages 12 to 17 the vaccination rate is around 58%.
[Con información de AP y Reuters]
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