Cindy Jackson wrote to City Limits wondering about the sanitation of wearing a mask for extended periods of time, especially when it comes to children. She is a retired cosmetologist and secretary and cares for her 12-year-old granddaughter. Jackson says she and her granddaughter wear a mask on a regular basis.
Medical experts say if you are using a cloth mask or face covering while out in public, you should be washing them between each use.
According to the World Health Organization, heat of 133 degrees Fahrenheit can kill the coronavirus, so if you are using a cloth mask, wash it with soap and hot water and dry completely on high setting.
“We always wear them when we are out among people along with our gloves. This is usually a short period of time. We remove them as soon as we are back in the car and put the used mask and gloves in the backseat, so we know which ones were used.” Jackson says.
READ MORE: Do I Have To Wear A Mask And Rubber Gloves In Public?
She says they wear the blue surgical masks and have some cloth ones as well. Jackson says the lack of air and discomfort is not pleasant, but her main concern is for children wearing masks all day when and if school resumes normally.
Jackson says, “That’s when I feel issues we are not prepared for (again) will start. Children in the restrooms taking off their masks, washing their hands, splashing their face with water, picking up someone else’s mask.”
She believes younger children are not going to worry about social distancing when they see their friends.
She says, “The mask will fall off in the hall, get stepped on. They will put it back on. Runny nose with a mask on is the worst, and what about allergies and rash, or poison ivy? All this with a mask? How many mask changes a day?”
Jackson says it’s important to take precautions but having children K-12 wearing masks for hours at a time will be a challenge. She is also concerned about the children overheating and getting brain fog.
We can look to how summer camps have been implementing safety precautions as guidelines as to how it may look for children when they return to school.
Camp Rock through the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA camp of Bloomington both have curbside check-in and temperature checks upon arrival along with a questionnaire asking if they have been exposed to anyone undergoing testing for COVID 19, a confirmed case, or had any symptoms themselves.
The YMCA has decided to forgo one of the most popular activities for children and eliminate swimming entirely during camp. Children must wear their masks throughout the day and keep a safe distance from one another. In addition, Camp Rock is giving each child a pool noodle to help the kids distance themselves easier. Both camps also decreased the number of kids they admitted this summer.
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