Governor DeWine Insists Evidence Overwhelming on Masks for ALL K-12 but Ohio Pediatrician Iffy and White House Medical Advisor Disagrees

 

On Tuesday during a press conference to address Ohioans on COVID updates in the state, Governor Mike DeWine was asked about conflicting expert opinions on masking children – which he requires for K-12.

The reporter from WMFD-TV in Mansfield asked:

“This question comes from one of our viewers who is a parent and it says, ‘The CDC said kids are not getting seriously sick with Coronavirus, not passing it to teachers. The White House medical advisor said the same and went on to say kids should not be wearing masks or distancing. These are experts, yet we are putting a lot on our kids to handle tough emotions, educational handicaps, and then making them feel responsible for the health of their teachers and other adults. The state site says cases and hospitalizations peaked about 10 days before the state mask mandate. As a parent, I worry about the health risks of those masks, bacterial and viral infections, but also the emotional consequences.

‘The question, Governor, is why are we putting the health of adults on our kids instead of letting the parents and grandparents take ultimate responsibility; and will our kids ever be without masks in schools?'”

Governor DeWine’s response – the full question and answer exchange can be found in the video below – was:

“The science on masks, I think is overwhelming,” DeWine said; adding, “When we got ready to put our final order on in regard to schools, I had on the phone people from children’s hospitals all over the state of Ohio. Their recommendation was a very firm every child K through 12 should have a mask on. That is what the experts have said.”

However, in July Nationwide Children’s Hospital Dr. Sara Bode, primary care pediatrician and the medical director of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, told a Columbus news outlet that kids wearing masks for long periods of time caused increased anxiety and mood problems. She went on to indicate that kids with health issues – especially asthma – were not safe in the apparatus and that cleaning the masks daily and children not playing with them would be required for masks to be effective.

Ohio’s statewide mask order that went into effect on July 23 did not require masks for kids under 10 years old.

The state of Ohio guidance to schools was also, originally, for schools to not mandate masks for children in grades below third and to be sure to not shame or single-out kids who weren’t or couldn’t wear masks.

Yet on Tuesday DeWine finished his answer by saying “Finally, we know that children spread, and the real concern for the community is [that a] young person gets it. They take it back home. There’s a grandparent there. There’s someone in the home, a sibling, someone who has a medical problem, and then that person gets it, and then we have all the consequences of that.”

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Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio Star. Windsor is also an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV. Follow Jack on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].

 

 

 

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