Thank you @PamelaBrownCNN for hosting tonight's discussion on school mask mandates. Here I present my concern that mask mandates are putting our 5 million English language learners and 4 million students with speech delay at additional disadvantage. 1/5
Dr. Amna Husain discusses elevated hospitalization rates for kids during Omicron vs Delta. (Caveat: 1/3-2/3rds of these hospitalizations are "with" rather than "from" COVID). But parents need context for these numbers. They have navigated similar risks to their kids before. 2/5
Our stanch adherence to masking children continues 2yrs+ without a single randomized trial showing that this strategy is effective in saving lives, or even blocking transmission, when masks are worn by young children. The US is the outlier here, a policy not endorsed by WHO. 3/5
Tragically, 1000 pediatric deaths assoc w/COVID have been recorded over 2 years. But comparative data matter. Pediatric mortality from flu are found here, including >1000 pediatric deaths in 2012-13 season: cdc.gov/flu/about/burd…
4/5
Finally, MMWR study (masks reduce spread by 80%, better than vaccines!!) was a low response telephone survey🤔 Not the high quality data that should be required before imposing an intervention on millions of kids for years at a time. Study take down here: vinayprasadmdmph.substack.com/p/mask-studies…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.