With Covid cases rising sharply, Pediatric Academy advises masks for everyone older than 2

US COVID-19 cases up 140% in past 2 weeks Plus, mask recommendations are returning, with a pediatrics group calling for them for schoolchildren. CIDRAP

With rising US COVID-19 cases, recommendations and mandates for masks are starting to pop up across the country, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) today updated its recommendations for the upcoming school year, advising masks for everyone older than 2 years regardless of vaccination status.

Overall, US cases are up 140% in the past 2 weeks according to the New York Times tracker. Hospitalizations and deaths have increased by 34% and 33%, respectively. And the federal government is continuing its battle against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and urging people to get vaccinated.

The AAP's updated mask recommendations for the 2021-22 school year are beyond what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends (masks for only the unvaccinated). In an AAP press release, the organization said it continues to support the CDC's recommendations for ventilation, testing, quarantining, cleaning, and disinfection.

"There are many children and others who cannot be vaccinated," said Sara Bode, MD, chair-person elect of the AAP Council on School Health Executive Committee, in the press release. "This is why it's important to use every tool in our toolkit to safeguard children from COVID-19.

"Universal masking is one of those tools, and has been proven effective in protecting people against other respiratory diseases, as well. It's also the most effective strategy to create consistent messages and expectations among students without the added burden of needing to monitor everyone's vaccination status."

As reported late last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expecting to reach a decision on Pfizer/BioNTech's and Moderna's COVID vaccine in those 12 and younger in early or midwinter.

In California, Sacramento County, health officials are now advising people to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status because of the Delta (B1617.2) variant, although they do not mandate it, according to Fox News. And, while Los Angeles County does mandate mask wearing indoors, the county's sheriff has already said his office would not enforce it, according to NBC News.  ...