Report shows masks in children may prevent pediatric COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released on Sept. 24 that counties with school districts that had mask requirements had fewer pediatric COVID-19 cases.

"The results of this analysis indicate that increases in pediatric COVID-19 case rates during the start of the 2021–22 school year were smaller in U.S. counties with school mask requirements than in those without school mask requirements," the report states. "School mask requirements, in combination with other prevention strategies, including COVID-19 vaccination, are critical to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools."

The CDC warned that as the study was limited, causation could not be inferred.

The report was limited, however: "First, this was an ecologic study, and causation cannot be inferred. Second, pediatric COVID-19 case counts and rates included all cases in children and adolescents aged <18 years; later analyses will focus on cases in school-age children and adolescents. Third, county-level teacher vaccination rate and school testing data were not controlled for in the analyses; later analyses will control for these covariates. Finally, because of the small sample size of counties selected for the analysis, the findings might not be generalizable."

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More:Here's what Alamogordo Public Schools COVID-19 mitigation levels mean

Alamogordo Public Schools requires indoor masking as well as other COVID-19 mitigation efforts including weekly COVID-19 testing of unvaccinated staff, hand washing and hand sanitizing stations for all staff and students, social distancing, quarantining of students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those deemed close contacts, encouraged outdoor learning and dining weather permitting.

Alamogordo Public Schools publish the district's COVID-19 Mitigation Levels, or COMITLs, each school day. These are designated based on a two-week rolling COVID-19 positivity rate.

As of Sept. 28, all but one Alamogordo Public Schools facilities are in the lowest, or ALPHA level. Transportation is in the highest level or ECHO with a 6.67% positivity rate.

"The district will continue all previous practices and consider a transition to hybrid or full remote learning for up to 10 days for an individual school, office building, team, or activity," the Alamogordo Public Schools website states for APS facilities that reach the ECHO COVID-19 mitigation level.

More:Alamogordo's Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center encourages COVID-19 vaccinations

As for Otero County, there have been 5,491 positive COVID-19 cases reported, 94 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 and 4,695 people have reportedly recovered from COVID-19, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

In Otero County 49.6% of eligible residents have completed a COVID-19 vaccination series, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter.