Starting today, March 8th, the mask mandate in
Columbus city schools has been lifted. Exposure
to COVID-19 will now be even more of a daily
risk for children in Columbus.

On March 6th alone, there were 37 new cases
before the mandate was put in place. 108 new
cases in that same week.

Masks are intended to block virus-laden particles that might be emitted by an infected person. They’ll help protect individuals if they’re wearing one, but the reason that they work best if everyone wears one is because they’re most effective if the person who is sick is wearing a mask. Often individuals are asymptomatic and don’t know they’re sick, so they wouldn’t even know to put one on.

Wearing masks in Columbus city schools will
keep children from being at risk from COVID-19
Coming from a family that is put at risk by this
mandate being lifted, I believe it will keep
families from high exposure rates as well.

More than just children are at risk, teachers are as well. Less than a month ago, in one of my classrooms, a teacher had COVID-19 and didn’t know because they were asymptomatic, thus putting us at risk. If the mandate had been lifted then, we’d have most likely caught the virus. 

Asymptomatic cases are one of the largest factors of this. If a child or teacher is asymptomatic, it’s a risk to everyone who had come in close contact with them. Every desk, chair, etc. 

If an individuals aren’t forced to wear a mask, they are more likely to spread COVID-19. Especially if that individual is asymptomatic. Keeping this mandate in place will keep Columbus-area schools safe.