Are masks still needed in Illinois schools? – Wirepoints

By: Ted Dabrowski

Illinois institutions, both public and private, continue to cut back on their mask mandates in light of increasing vaccinations and collapsing case numbers. Illinois’ schools are a notable exception. The Illinois State Board of Education says it expects mandated mask-wearing to continue in the fall.

That worries a friend of mine whose child is in daycare: “Shouldn’t kids in day care facilities get to see their friend’s and teacher’s faces? To learn ‘silly stuff’ like language, facial cues and emotional development after a year of masks?”

His concern is more than warranted. The emotional, physical and developmental harm that’s been imposed on children during COVID is real, though it will take years to quantify.

So, the question is, is it time for the masks to finally come off? Data from the CDC, IDPH, and the Cook County medical examiner all point to “yes.” All of Illinois COVID data are on a severe downward trend, with case and hospitalization counts the lowest they’ve been since the beginning of the pandemic.

On top of that, we know the remaining threat to children is infinitesimal, that the elderly – those most at risk – are largely vaccinated, and that teachers are at low risk as well.

Below we break down each point in turn:

There’s near zero risk to children

Let’s start with the number of kids under the age of 20 that have died in Illinois from COVID since March of 2020. The total is 19. While the death of every child is tragic, those COVID deaths make up just 0.08 percent of the state’s nearly 23,000 COVID deaths.

Compare the 19 deaths to those from simple accidents. We let our kids ride bikes, go to the lake or drive cars, not realizing that those activities can result in far more deaths. In 2017, the latest full year of IDPH data for comparison, 143 kids died from accidents alone. 

Suicide, too, is a bigger risk than COVID. In 2017, certainly a less stressful period than 2020-2021, 73 kids died from suicide.

In all, 606 youth aged 1 to 17 died in 2017. The recent COVID deaths would equal just 3 percent of that total.

It’s important to remember, too, that not just any child will die from COVID. Underlying conditions play a massive role in COVID deaths, and kids are no exception. 

Illinois, unlike many other states, does not publish comorbidity data. However, the Cook County Medical Examiner does. Of the ten children in Cook County that have died with COVID-19 listed as the primary cause, six had reported comorbidities of some kind. 

That means the risk for healthy children is even lower than thought, while those with underlying conditions should take more precautions.

In all, for youth under the age of 20, 19 out a total 225,527 known COVID cases in Illinois have resulted in death. That’s a known-case fatality rate of 0.008%. Said in reverse, the survival rate is 99.992%.

The actual survival rate is even higher, because the calculation above is for known cases. When asymptomatic cases that were never recorded are taken into account, the CDC estimates the survival rate for those under 19 rises to 99.997%.

What about the risks of kids getting COVID and getting hit with hospitalizations, complications and other long-haul impacts?

Well, again, that’s also minimal. A CDC study reported that weekly hospitalization rates for youth ages 12-17 peaked at 2.1 per 100,000 in early January 2021, a rate of only 0.002 percent. Teens’ COVID-19 hospitalization rate was 12.5 times lower when compared with adults over age 18.

Ultimately, the question comes down to managing risk. We don’t stop our kids from experiencing life due to the dangers inherent in even normal activities. We manage and live with them. And with its near-zero risk, the coronavirus shouldn’t be treated any differently.

Protecting the elderly

The risk to children is incredibly low and has been from the beginning. But one legitimate concern was the potential impact on the elderly, who have suffered the most from COVID. The worry was, in short, that children would come home from school and infect their grandparents. There is real risk from COVID for people who are 60 and older. The known-case fatality rate for that group is a combined 7.6% in Illinois – and nearly 20 percent for those 80 and older.

However, putting aside all the evidence that shows young children are not and were not superspreaders of COVID, the above scenario has become moot due to the vaccination efforts of the past several months. Over 75 percent of those 65 and older in Illinois have been fully vaccinated, while 83.4 percent of that age group has had at least one shot.

The low risk to teachers 

With grandparents now protected and children at low risk in the first place, that leaves just one group to discuss: middle aged adults, in particular, teachers.

Teachers have been able to receive the vaccine since January 25 of this year. With the shortages and disorganization that plagued the initial rollout long past, all teachers who wanted a vaccine should have been inoculated by now. 

Such is the case across the country, with the New York Times reporting that about 80 percent of teachers nationwide have been vaccinated with at least one dose.

And for those who aren’t vaccinated, the CDC’s estimated infection survivability rate for ages 20-49 is at 99.98 percent. According to data from the Illinois Teachers Retirement System, 77 percent of all teachers across the state are younger than 50. The data shows they can go back to teaching in the classroom with minimal risk.

Summary

Children have suffered a disproportionate amount of harm from the pandemic, as the effects for many will be felt throughout their entire lives. There’s the educational, developmental and economic harm stemming from failed online learning. There’s the social, emotional and mental harm imposed by a year of isolation. There’s the physical harm of less exercise, increased rates of substance abuse and more.

With all the protections adults now have, it’s time for them to step up and give children as close to a return to normalcy as possible. Eliminating masks will be a huge step in that direction.

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33 Comments
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Spike Protein
2 years ago

Risk is inherent in a free society. A free people assume that risk as they go about their daily lives. No more restricting our liberty under the guise of additional security. It’s time to remove the covid-19 restrictions, lockdowns, and mask mandates.

Ambiguous End
2 years ago

Masks made life so much easier for criminals, so expect to see more.

Last edited 2 years ago by Ambiguous End
dale gade
2 years ago

Sue Sue sue and more law suites hit them where it hurts until they give

BLS
2 years ago

Any time you write an article about JB and his complete abuse of powers to lecture and order people about their health decisions needs to have a giant picture of that morbidly obese clown right in the middle of the article. His arguments are simply awful, unethical and disgusting, but people apparently need a reminder about how he knows literally nothing about health and nutrition. ZERO!

ScreenShot20180605at3.19.30PM.jpg
Streeterville
2 years ago

Regardless of mask policy, CPS schools are often found to be poorly-maintained, not clean, and in unhygienic condition conducive towards germ/virus transmission.

Tom Paine's Ghost
2 years ago

School vouchers for all and busting CTU are the only solution. CTU is the very worst of all public sector unions. Greedy. Lazy. Criminal. Any member who actually loves teaching must be deeply ashamed.

James
2 years ago

Wirepoints has such a classy set of deep thinkers who love anonymity!

Thee Jabroni
2 years ago

ok,dont know who just responded in my name but your lame,about as funny as a plane crash,get a life,ctu teacher

Admin
2 years ago
Reply to  Thee Jabroni

Three Jabroni and Illinois Entrepreneur, somebody is posting comments in your name, as you’ve seen, so we deleted the ones I think were fake. To help us block them, provide your true email address when you make a comment, which will not be displayed.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

For anyone reading, this is NOT me, responding.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

For anyone reading, this is NOT me, responding.

ProzacPlease
2 years ago

What kind of society does this to its children, along with CRT, white guilt, white privilege?
Evil masquerading as “science”.

Ambiguous End
2 years ago
Reply to  ProzacPlease

This kind of society.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

There’s some downvoting afoot. I smell the antics of a teacher’s union…

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

Free drinks for everyone if we can get this to -10.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

I even tried downvoting my own comment, and it wouldn’t let me.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

LOL. You guys came through. See, it’s good to laugh once in a while, isn’t it?

Now about those drinks…

Danny
2 years ago

You must have really hit a nerve! Don’t teachers have better things to do then troll comments on discussion boards?

On2Wheels
2 years ago

As someone who works in a public middle school on the south side, both teachers and students are “done “with the masks. Crossing my fingers that logic will prevail and we can discard the mask in the fall.

Tom Paine's Ghost
2 years ago
Reply to  On2Wheels

Better not let CTU know who you are. You will be burned at the stake as a heretic. You know with the Janus ruling you can quit the union….it may hurt your career in CPS but you can then sue CTU. You win. Justice wins, The parents and kids in CPS win. Chicago taxpayers win.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

I remember as a kid looking at something in history and saying, “they actually did that? What were they thinking?” We all could probably name many examples of things like this, some that bring a chuckle, others that are horrifying. One thing has remained constant, as “advanced” as we think we are: people will always act irrationally when confronted with threats that are hard to understand. It’s driven by fear, not science. I look at all these people (non-scientists) who have these memes and these t-shirts imploring everyone to “believe in the science.” When it’s convenient for their narrative, I… Read more »

Rick
2 years ago

They are not needed for any scientifically provable reason. They are however needed to train the next generation to accept any illogical government order of submission as normal. Personally I’d rather have my kid overcome a month of Covid than be trained into being a submissive tool. Free men and women dont do this. China, when they launched this biological attack, knew exactly that submission training was the first step to destroying freedom in USA. Accomplishing that, Guns, worship, movement, privacy, money, etc. will all be very easy to take away from a generation of government-school trained sheeple.

debtsor
2 years ago
Reply to  Rick

Mask wearers can’t even agree that masks are worthless. They spin the data to show some negligible effect and claim that masks are an integral part of an overall strategy. Of course they wouldn’t wear masks if they thought they were useless, but they wear them because they erroneously believe otherwise.

Jessica Hockett
2 years ago

The CDC’s county level data is the better source for pediatric Covid deaths. For 2020, they show 4 total: 1 in Cook, 1 in DeKalb, and 2 in Will. Also, I appreciate this article but it sidesteps a key fact: Cloth does not stop viruses. Never has; never will. For that reason, among others, masks never should’ve been mandated on anyone, least of all children and least of all by levels of government. It’s time to let go of unfounded fears about Covid and untethered faith in talismans. Masks aren’t needed now, because they don’t do what believe have been… Read more »

Joey Zamboni
2 years ago

Parents need to file a class action suit…

This needs to get into the courts….

Most of the time, facts matter more than feelings in court…

Make them prove the efficacy of the masks, which they know they can’t…

Jessica Hockett
2 years ago
Reply to  Joey Zamboni

Correct. We chose to homeschool this year rather than subject our kids to screenschool or mask school, but next year they will be in a private and public school, respectively.

I’m happy to join, or even lead, a class-action suit against this nonsense.

Honestly, we wouldn’t even need to do that if parents would stand together and say no.

Illinois Entrepreneur
2 years ago

I like your style, Ms. Hockett. You’re a fighter, and a smart one at that.

We need more people like you.

BLS
2 years ago
Reply to  Joey Zamboni

Sign me up. I am happy to go down swinging, whatever the cost.

Lilli
2 years ago

It’s criminal what is being done to toddlers in daycare. My granddaughter has been in a mask for 14 months for 40 hours a week with no end in sight. She has suffered physically, developmentally, and mentally. Her parents feel they have no choice, the daycare doesn’t want to be shut down from IDPH threats. All the teachers are vax’d and my granddaughter already had Covid months ago, but still needs to perform this theater. There are only a few places in this world that mask this young due to the harm. These children are being harmed! We need lawyers… Read more »

Wolfnight
2 years ago

Masks are no longer needed. Stopped wearing mine from 1st May. No issues. We need to start defining deaths WITH Covid and those FROM Covid. This is starting to happen as the onion is being peeled from the 2020 Election and Fauci’s email dump. As stated before, Japan had 12,000 deaths from COVID in a population of 126m. Only 2% (the high risk) have had a vaccination. USA 598,000 deaths with COVID. I do not believe it. A guy falls off a scaffolding, dies from his injuries but is found to have COVID during the autopsy. This is not a… Read more »

Peter Malone
2 years ago
Reply to  Wolfnight

Masks never were needed. Germs are orders-of-magnitude smaller than the pores in cloth masks. Would you install a chain-link fence around your yard to keep mosquitoes out? Masks force breathing CO2 just exhaled, lower blood oxygen levels, etc. They are political, not medical.

TM
2 years ago

So what can we do about it?? Talking about it isn’t enough. We need to stand up and demand to have our rights restored. Speak at school board meetings, email ISBE and IDPH, email your elected representatives. Be loud!

Carl
2 years ago

At the beginning, because of the uncertainty, precautionary principles may have applied (to various degrees according to where one stands in the individual-collective responsibility spectrum) but, over time, it became clear that: -Covid was extremely benign in children (much more benign than typical and recurrent influenza for example -Community transmission did occur from schools to some degree and the transmission rates were in correlation to the level of community covid prevalence and test positivity rates -The overall ‘price’ of restrictions on children have been high and likely underappreciated. This conclusion should have applied a while ago but, at this point,… Read more »

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A statewide concern: Illinois’ population decline outpaces neighboring states – Wirepoints on ABC20 Champaign

“We are not in good shape” Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski told ABC 20 Champaign during a segment on Illinois’ latest population losses. Illinois was one of just three states to shrink in the 2010-2020 period and has lost another 300,000 people since then. Ted says things need to change. “It’s too expensive to live here, there aren’t enough good jobs and nobody trusts the government anymore. There’s just other places to go where you can be more satisfied.”

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