Washington, Sept. 24 (U.S.): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from the new K-12 school year supports the agency’s recommendation for masks in schools and in-person classrooms.
One study in two Arizona counties found that coronavirus outbreaks were nearly four times more common in public schools without first-day mask mandates than in schools that reopened with a concealment condition, the AP reports.
Another study found that case rates in children and adolescents increased more in US counties where public schools did not have mask mandates more than those schools did. These studies lack data on other metrics that could influence the results.
A third study counted 1,801 school closures due to the coronavirus as of mid-September, mostly in the South, where many schools opened earlier than those in other areas.
However, 96% of US public schools have remained open with classroom attendance, the researchers say, acknowledging that data from some areas may be missing.