Whereas Calgary area is fighting the global pandemic and implements the laws of obligatory masks wearing in public places, we consider the decision of mandatory masks wearing for children in schools, unnecessary and potentially dangerous for their health and well-being due to the following reasons:

1.      Covid-19 statistically proved to be not threatening for individuals younger than 18. In fact, in Canada the death rate among young Canadians of Covid-19 is less than 0.013 per cent.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/how-deadly-is-covid-19-for-children-here-s-what-we-know-1.5023528

To be more exact, according to the source above, one child died of novel coronavirus so far.

As a comparison, 10 individuals under 16 passed due to influenza in 2018-19 season.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases conditions/fluwatch/2018-2019/annual-report.html

Thus, death rate of children of flu is at least 10 times higher, than of covid.

2.      Kids are active.

Calgary bylaw exempts people engaged in athletic activity from wearing masks. Why? Because physical exercise increases heart rate, fastens breathing and intensifies sweating, which makes it extremely difficult to keep the mask on.

Children are always engaged in physical activity unless seated. Children run, children play, children talk. Forcing them to wear masks while they are most active – during recess, is abuse.

3.      Are masks really harmless?

There is an increased argument against masks wearing, which is being constantly suppressed in the media. Oxygen levels during masks level do go low, according to scientists and increased, breathed-in CO2 causes hypoxia.

https://medium.com/theusareviewer/the-potential-dangers-of-wearing-a-face-mask-51b9b86980a​

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/megan-fox/2020/05/14/neurosurgeon-says-face-masks-pose-serious-risk-to-healthy-people-n392431

We suggest, selective medical research in support of wearing masks does not cancel common sense. Unpublished, but quite outspoken evidence from people trapped in masks all day suggests that constant masks wearing may lead to head aches, poor performance and even loss of consciousness. With overwhelming testimonies from people around us, we are still expected to trust “masks myths explained” theories.

Regardless, whether you believe the argument or not, it is easy to self-check by wearing a mask for prolonged time and registering symptoms.

The point is: do we want children to be trapped in masks to protect them from a disease that statistically does not prove to be harmful for them?

4.      Elderly people, not employed by the Board, who are in a risk group, do not attend schools.

Teaching stuff and administration do need to use all the precaution necessary to prevent themselves from contracting a disease. Plastic shields, sanitation, increased airing of the school buildings and especially, classrooms and offices, frequent washing of surfaces, rules for parents to wait outside, and much more can be done to protect adult school attendees,  however such protection should not come at a cost of affecting children’s health.

In addition, the current death rate in Alberta, calculated by registered cases only, is 1.8%, accounting for in total of 201 deaths in a province with 4.08 million population as of August 4, 2020.

By expressing our voices of concern on the subject, we do not in any way want to diminish the scope of the problem nor to object to protection of those in the groups of risk, nor to prevent children from wearing masks in public places, where the individuals for whom the virus may be dangerous, are present.