Penn State Health’s chief concern is the health and well-being of the communities we serve. For that reason, we agree with guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which strongly recommends masking for children in schools and encourages those who teach and work with children to be vaccinated if eligible.
Masks are most effective when everyone who is medically able is wearing one. Each child’s situation is unique, and parents of children with certain medical or developmental conditions should ask their primary care physician about whether masking is appropriate in those cases.