Study finds masks are effective in schools

FOR THE FIRST TIME -- WE'REGETTING A DETAILED LOOK AT THEIMPACT OF MASKS IN SCHOOLS.CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITALLOOKED AT áLOCAL DA ATANDFOUND UNIVERSAL MASKG INSIGNIFICANTLY LOWERS THECHANCE OF CHILDREN CATCHINGCOVID-19.

WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTERJOSH BAZAN EXPLAINS WHATMEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WA NTPARENTS AND SCHOOLS TO KNOW.THE RESEARCHER I SPOKE TOT ACINCINNATI CHILDREN 'SCALLEDTHESE FINDIN GS"STRIKING"NDSAYS WEARING MASKS IN SCHOOLSIS A NO-BRAINER.Dr. Kathere inAuger/MD, MSc, Department ofPediatrics at CincinnatiChildren's"This data is importt aninterms of understanding howeffective masks can be."RESEARCHERS AT CINCINNATICHILDREN'S SAY THE EVIDENCEONCE AGAIN PROVES MASKS ARE ASAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TOPREVENT COVID-19 FROMSPREADING IN SCHOOLS.Dr.Katherine Auger/MD, MSc,Department of Pediatrics atCincinnati Children's"I think it's so strikingbecause we know th atmasks aresafe and they're relativelycheap and the erreally aren'tdownsides to wearing masks."ANEW ANALYSIS OF SEVEN LOCALSCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPAREDPOSITIVE COV-ID19 CASESBETWEEN DISTRICTS WITH AUNIVERSAL MASK REQUIREMENT ANDTHOSE WITH A PARTIAL,K-THROUGH-6 MASK REQUIREMENT.ACCORDING TO CINCINNATICHDRILEN'S, THE WEIGHTEDAVERAGE OF CASEPES R WEEK INFULLY MASKED DISTRICTS IS .914PER 5,000 STUDENTS.

BUT THATAVERE AGJUMPS TO 26.5 FORSTUDENTS IN PARTIALLY MASKEDSCHOOLS.Dr. Kathere inAuger/MD, MSc, Department ofPediatrics at CincinnatiChildren's"So then when you see thisbig differencen ithe numberof cases it seems like such ano brainer that all the kidsshoulde bmasking at schools."Tim Weber/Superintendent forWyoming City Schools"It was an easy choice forus to determine that fl ulmasking, universal masking,was important to u"s.WYOMINGCITY SCHOS OLPARTICIPATED INTHE STUDY AND HAS HAD AUNIVERSAL MASK REQUIREMENTTHIS ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.

ITHOPES TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MASKSOFF SOON, BUT SAYS THEFINDINGS FROM CINCINNATICHILDREN'S MAKE IT CLEAR THEDISTRICT'S POLICY IS THE RIGHTMOVE.Tim Weber/Superintendentfor Wyoming City Schools"This collaboration, workingtogether and watching the dataas we move forward.

It's greatto have this feedback and thisinformation here a month intoschool and we'll be interestedto see how this continue"s.ATCINCINNATI CHILDREN'S JB WCPO9NEWS.