NIH Dir. Collins Defends Masking Children: ‘It’s Not Like We’re Asking People to Go to the Trenches with Shooting War’

Jackson I know it ░░░░░░░░ like we say that ░░░░░░░░ time that we re ░░░░░░░░ but today we mean ░░░░░░░░ as well And let ░░░░░░░░ start with this new ░░░░░░░░ that is coming out ░░░░░░░░ new recommendations from the ░░░░░░░░ s pediatricians on kids ░░░░░░░░ masks in school As ░░░░░░░░ know they re recommending ░░░░░░░░ any student over the ░░░░░░░░ of two in school ░░░░░░░░ a mask regardless of ░░░░░░░░ vaccination status This frankly ░░░░░░░░ what we heard from ░░░░░░░░ CDC just earlier this ░░░░░░░░ which recommended masks for ░░░░░░░░ who were not vaccinated ░░░░░░░░ should schools listen to ░░░░░░░░ your professional opinion here ░░░░░░░░ Collins the CDC or ░░░░░░░░ AAP COLLINS Well you ░░░░░░░░ this is a tough ░░░░░░░░ because nobody looking at ░░░░░░░░ country right now should ░░░░░░░░ that everything is exactly ░░░░░░░░ same regardless of which ░░░░░░░░ you are pointing to ░░░░░░░░ where there is relatively ░░░░░░░░ in the way of ░░░░░░░░ virus spread might very ░░░░░░░░ look at this and ░░░░░░░░ Well that seems like ░░░░░░░░ Let s go with ░░░░░░░░ for those kids from ░░░░░░░░ and over who are ░░░░░░░░ Remember though everybody under ░░░░░░░░ is not and CDC ░░░░░░░░ say those folks probably ░░░░░░░░ not need to wear ░░░░░░░░ mask as well as ░░░░░░░░ unvaccinated adolescents If you ░░░░░░░░ in a community though ░░░░░░░░ there is rapid spread ░░░░░░░░ you just heard about ░░░░░░░░ from your reporter and ░░░░░░░░ and Arkansas Louisiana Nevanda ░░░░░░░░ also in trouble we ░░░░░░░░ still concerned that even ░░░░░░░░ vaccinated individuals are extremely ░░░░░░░░ risk of getting severe ░░░░░░░░ or hospitalization they can ░░░░░░░░ potentially be breakthrough cases ░░░░░░░░ mild symptoms or no ░░░░░░░░ at all While that ░░░░░░░░ a low likelihood it ░░░░░░░░ not zero So if ░░░░░░░░ re really trying to ░░░░░░░░ the spread having those ░░░░░░░░ wear a mask is ░░░░░░░░ one more thing that ░░░░░░░░ add to that so ░░░░░░░░ get where AAP is ░░░░░░░░ from Jackson Dr Collins ░░░░░░░░ take your point about ░░░░░░░░ pandemic looks different depending ░░░░░░░░ where you live But ░░░░░░░░ Americans and frankly for ░░░░░░░░ districts who are looking ░░░░░░░░ federal officials for some ░░░░░░░░ and maybe for a ░░░░░░░░ bit of cover as ░░░░░░░░ do you think it ░░░░░░░░ be prudent at this ░░░░░░░░ for the CDC to ░░░░░░░░ their guidelines when it ░░░░░░░░ to mask wearing in ░░░░░░░░ Is that something you ░░░░░░░░ like to see them ░░░░░░░░ COLLINS You know people ░░░░░░░░ read their latest guidelines ░░░░░░░░ they were trying to ░░░░░░░░ some of that kind ░░░░░░░░ leeway they talk about ░░░░░░░░ layered strategy depending on ░░░░░░░░ circumstances in your school ░░░░░░░░ your community about how ░░░░░░░░ of these various steps ░░░░░░░░ to be taken I ░░░░░░░░ if you look at ░░░░░░░░ closely a school district ░░░░░░░░ be able to be ░░░░░░░░ by that It s ░░░░░░░░ just like rigidly you ░░░░░░░░ to do it this ░░░░░░░░ and that s the ░░░░░░░░ way Have a look ░░░░░░░░ think they re trying ░░░░░░░░ provide that kind of ░░░░░░░░ Jackson It sounds like ░░░░░░░░ you re saying though ░░░░░░░░ you don t think ░░░░░░░░ nation s pediatricians the ░░░░░░░░ are off base in ░░░░░░░░ they re telling folks ░░░░░░░░ COLLINS I have great ░░░░░░░░ for the AAP and ░░░░░░░░ don t think they ░░░░░░░░ these recommendations lightly They ░░░░░░░░ not be popular amongst ░░░░░░░░ and kids who are ░░░░░░░░ of masks but you ░░░░░░░░ what the virus doesn ░░░░░░░░ care that we re ░░░░░░░░ of masks The virus ░░░░░░░░ having another version of ░░░░░░░░ wonderful party for itself ░░░░░░░░ to the degree that ░░░░░░░░ can squash that by ░░░░░░░░ something that maybe is ░░░░░░░░ little uncomfortable a little ░░░░░░░░ it s not like ░░░░░░░░ re asking people to ░░░░░░░░ to the trenches with ░░░░░░░░ war You know we ░░░░░░░░ just asking you if ░░░░░░░░ looks like it will ░░░░░░░░ put the mask back ░░░░░░░░ for a while.”