It's in the independent this morning.
Reviewing it, which is probably kite flying before they announce it, maybe for pe indoors or something, honestly think it might be a faster way to spread covid with younger kids, they will end up swapping masks, having their masks in contact with each other s masks when not in use, it will increase outbreaks of every bug etc.
So, NPHET has asked HIQA to review mask wearing for Primary School kids and it will decide in September. Surely, this could have been decided earlier in the Summer with the guidance being issued BEFORE the schools re-opened ??
Here it is. I’m confident after meeting parents & children over the last few days, this will not be supported. Will the experts speak up? This is abuse, plain and simple.
I wouldn’t be a fan of masks on primary kids. Some adults are hard enough to understand wearing them sometimes, but children especially those who may have speech issues might struggle more to make themselves understood. Restrictions are either coming to an end or they are not.
We had asked our kids to wear masks on the return to school back in March. They mostly complied with the request but having seen the results masks on young kids are a no from me. Never mind the messing that goes on with them. Small kids dropping them into the toilet and putting them back on. Dropping them onto the bathroom floor and picking them up. Covid would be the least of my worries with masks in schools.
For me it depends on the age of the kids. Our 11 year old wore a mask last school year - no problem. She is 12 now and 6th Class and will again wear a mask. For me, there is little difference between her and a child in 1st Year.
For younger kids (under 10 maybe) and certainly the first few years of Primary, I don't think it would realistically work.
There's an Indo piece on a possible scenario IF experts agree. It's not a plan anywhere.
Are schools going to get funding to provide masks for every child or are parents expected to provide them?
What happens if a child turns up with no mask? Do we turn them away?
What do we do if a parent states that they do not want their child masked? Do we turn them away or mask them anyways?
The wearing of masks is not an issue for most children - children adapt better to these things than adults do.
Would expect it to be similar to Secondary schools.
Our Secondary school provided each child with 1 mask with the school crest on it (with the option to buy more of those). Then they said that any other masks used need to be either medical or reuseable ones with no logos on them - so we bought plain ones.
I won't be buying into that.As another poster says, we are either lifting restrictions or we're not.Plus we went through the worst of this with no vaccines, kids in schools and no masks and it didn't seem to be an issue, so as far as I can see there is no justifying this at all.
Well let's face it, the one thing we have truly shown we excel at in the last 18 months as a country is reactive action, and not forward planning.So that would fit in nicely with the status quo so far anyway.
I would agree. My 12 year old could manage a mask no issue. In fact has been this last year. But I dont think it would work for younger children.
100% agree. Lifting restrictions, 90% + vaccinated & we now turn around & say to primary kids to wear a mask. Its a step backwards!! Hoping secondary can get rid of theirs soon too.
That article on masks for primary school kids is pure click bait from the Indoh'
My children have to wear masks in primary school here, the wearing is a non-issue for the kids. But the whole exercise is pointless. They are all mingling together on the way to school and on the way back from school and they can take off the masks when they are outside on their breaks where they are on top of each other. Might as well have no masks in the school for all the difference it really makes.
What effect will the newly announced removal of restrictions mean for post primary schools? Will we still have the mandatory masks and the 1 meter distance in classrooms?
Martin from the presser.
Speaking at a news conference following his address, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the wearing of masks in secondary schools after 22 October will be the "subject of review".
What exactly is the reason for recommending the wearing of masks by primary pupils at this late stage of the pandemic? Most adults are fully vaccinated. Therefore, the possibility of a primary pupil being infected by the Delta variant is very low.
Vaccines do not provide complete protection from transmission, Delta is more transmissible than the variants we had last school year, and when we had cases this high the schools were closed.
I'm not advocating the use of masks, just responding to your specific question.
Will in-person PT meetings return this year do we think?
Still no signs of any cO2 monitors in school today.
We are planning on having them anyway. Principal mentioned that there was a circular issued and it recommended to have them. This is primary now. We had to do reports on each child and there was so much more work involved than face to face meetings so I welcome the return of the meeting.
Anything on teachers still having to wear masks after the 22nd?
Seems like a punishment almost that we have to still wear masks despite being vaccinated, purely because the children we teach are unable to be vaccinated.
I havent heard anything about masks being compulsory in education after the 22nd. Retail, hospitals and that's about it. Nothing about education
Thanks. Thought I heard large education settings at some stage on the radio, presumed that might have meant 3rd level.
I havent heard a thing. And have been looking to see, as I would love not to have to wear them any more. To me as a fully vaccinated person it's totally pointless now. The kids are not going to be vaccinated and I have no problem with this so I'd rather just go back to normal teaching.
It’s very strange that there is no mention of education in terms of masks or physical distancing either . Maybe they are going .......I didn’t expect any change in schools this side of Xmas !
There is a line in it though saying certain sectors may need to continue with both or something to that effect . Still suprised education is not named outright like the others though
I do wonder what line the unions would take on it . Anecdotally I get the feeling most teachers would be happy to go back to “normal” . But the minority can make a lot of noise
Fed up of the union at this stage. As usual the vocal minority give the rest of us a bad name!! Any teachers I know would be delighted to not have to wear masks any more.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wc.vanillicon.com/v2/c60577abaec2a07544afd73b107ad45b.svg)
