San Francisco quietly modifications little one COVID masks steering
The San Francisco Department of Health quietly updated its mask guidelines for children ages 2 to 9 years old on Wednesday.
The change was first noticed after a health department spokesman reached out to SFGATE regarding a comment that was made on Wednesday, “San Francisco should be like Europe when it comes to COVID, kids, masks and schools.” submitted by 41 Bay Area parents and residents included the line: “It is incredibly illogical that the SFDPH does not require face coverings for children under 10 years of age in public buildings, but does require care and attention for children aged 2 and over School environments where learning and socialization are key components, “and linked to the San Francisco mask guide page.
When three different SFGATE editors checked that line in the comment for fact on the Tuesday prior to publication, the city’s guidelines for children stated that children ages 2 to 9 must wear masks in facilities like schools or kindergartens, but only that children over 10 must wear masks in public buildings as shown in this copy of the page taken by the Wayback Machine in September:
The version of San Francisco’s children’s mask guide accessed by SFGATE editors on Tuesday.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
But on Thursday an SFDPH spokesman wrote in an email to SFGATE: “The comment incorrectly states that children under 10 are not required to wear masks in public buildings such as grocery stores and restaurants Years wear masks in these settings “and provided a link to the same mask page that now read that children aged 2 and over must wear masks in public buildings. The SFDPH said the change was made on Wednesday. The SFGATE-Op-ed was released at 4 a.m. that morning.
The current version of the San Francisco Mask Instructions for Children.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
From the original version, the line that says that children between the ages of 2 and 9 are only allowed to wear face covers outside of schools and childcare facilities “if they can” has disappeared. In addition, there is the requirement that “children aged 2 and over must wear face coverings indoors in public buildings” – which apparently represents a major change in the city’s masking rules.
When SFGATE asked SFDPH when and why this change took place, a spokesman pointed out the text of the city’s official health ordinance, which states, “Children between the ages of two and nine must be in situations where there is is possible to wear well-fitting masks “. Masks are compulsory for everyone, such as grocery stores and restaurants.
However, “as much as possible” reflects the original “if they can” language rather than the update “Must wear face coverings in public buildings”.
The SFDPH spokesman said the mask instructions page – unlike the city’s official health ordinance – “should be easily accessible to a wide public audience” and “since the language seemed to be confusing, we cleared it up.”
When asked by SFGATE whether the language in the official health ordinance would also be tightened to reflect the new language on the guidance page, the ministry said the “largely feasible” language only applies to “well-fitting masks” within the meaning of the ordinance , and that in indoor public spaces there has always been a mask requirement for children between the ages of 2 and 9, if you read between the lines of the health ordinance.
“Children ages two to nine may be an alternative type of face-covering to a well-fitting mask if their parents or caregivers believe it improves the child’s ability to adhere to this arrangement,” said a statement from the Department. “One such alternative is still a face covering, and it is still needed. An example of an alternative face covering is a face shield with a drapery on the lower edge. To recap, the health ordinance always required face covering for children ages two to nine years old in indoor public spaces. Children of this age should wear a well-fitting mask as much as possible. If this is not possible in certain situations, the child must still wear a different type of face covering. “
The mask instructions page has never – and still – made no distinction between “well-fitting masks” and masking alternatives for children, but the page says in a section below for everyone: “If you are not using a medical mask or cloth mask, other options” and “You must still wear something over your nose and mouth to block droplets, such as a 2-layer gaiter.”
The health ordinance itself does not require that face covering be worn when well-fitting masks are not possible; it contains only the line in the SFDPH statement that “Children may wear alternative face-covering if their parents or caregivers believe that this will improve the child’s ability to comply with this order.”
