Hundreds of thousands of students nationwide are now subject to more stringent Covid restrictions as the U.S. struggles to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Face coverings must now be worn inside buildings “at all times” in Massachusetts and Michigan elementary and middle schools, while Chicago public school kids must present documentation of a negative Covid swab before entering the building. If the Covid cases don’t end soon, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina even plans to make masks a prerequisite for admission.
The University of Massachusetts Boston has likewise reinstated its mask requirement as concerns grow that additional rigorous measures may be required.
These worries are prompted by recent reports that Covid cases in the U.S. have increased 16% just in the last week, bringing the daily new case total to almost 67,000. One reason for this increase in numbers is the highly contagious variant XBB.1.5.
Since evidence suggests that wearing face coverings can impede social development and erode immunity, there has been discussion regarding whether masks should be required for pupils at such a young age. Installing high-quality air purifiers with ample HEPA and activated carbon—which have been shown to remove up to 99% of airborne viruses—would be a better answer that doesn’t harm students’ mental health or diminish social interaction between them.
One study found that the HEGA carbon cloth in the Austin Air Bedroom Machine trapped and destroyed viral particles even smaller than the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid.
It’s uncertain just how much longer these kinds of restrictions will remain in place across the U.S. But for the time being, we’re stuck with Covid.
