Masks & PPE

Masks work. Requiring all children and staff to wear a cloth or medical mask that covers both the mouth and nose at all times is one of the most important ways to contain the spread of COVID-19. The data is overwhelming for their use, and universal masking with a mandate is more effective than voluntary compliance.

Key Recommendations

Students and staff of all ages should wear masks throughout the day, including on the bus and outside if distance can’t be maintained.
- NOTE: Masks for ALL ages (school-aged children and above) is best practice. Some places and countries have allowed Pre-K through Grade 1 to be exempt. However, all ages should wear masks on school buses.
Face shields should not be used as a replacement for wearing masks/face coverings due to their limited ability to fully protect against droplets.
Consider strategies for building student buy-in/cultural norms that reinforce mask wearing.
Use different modes of communication and messaging in schools to encourage mask wearing (mail, email, text, virtual meetings, infographics, social media).
Consider taking a 15-minute mask break at least every four hours, assuming physical distance can be maintained. This can be done during recess, meals, or movement breaks.
- Increase frequency of mask breaks during times of higher heat or physical activity (~every 20 minutes outside).
- If mask breaks are indoors, ensure adequate ventilation, filtration, or open windows

Reflection Points for Teams

How can your school/district provide masks for families that cannot afford them?
How will students and staff access back-up masks at school if they misplace or forget their mask? Where will these masks be stored?
What preparation can be given to teachers for classroom management of mask wearing?
How should the school nursing staff be involved in mask exemptions?
How can these messages on proper use, removal, and washing cloth face coverings be made clear and reinforced at school?

Ideas

Have back-up masks available at the school for students and staff.
Update school handbooks and guidelines with new mask, hygiene, and sanitation protocols.
Consider strategies for making mask-wearing fun and joyful:
Districts can create school-branded masks with logo, mascot, etc. for school pride.
Incentivize mask-wearing with leaderboards by cohorts (i.e., students receive points for arriving at school with their mask).
Consider clear masks for educators working with students with hearing disabilities or learning disabilities who may have trouble understanding instruction without seeing the teacher’s mouth.

Starting Point Tools

The following resources offer starting points for educators, students, and parents/guardians to implement masks and PPE in school. These comprise of practitioner toolkits, videos, documents, articles, and more to provide actionable next steps.

(We will continue to update these as we continue to learn about additional tools)