BOSTON (WHDH) -
As drug companies continue to test COVID-19 vaccines for children while variant cases increase, some officials are calling for mask mandates when school resumes in September — but Gov. Charlie Baker said he’s waiting for more guidance from federal officials before he brings masks back to classrooms.
At a hearing at the State House Monday, a former member of Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Board said he supported masks in schools as variant cases continue to spread.
“Revisiting the mask policy … I agree masking in schools, certainly until we can ensure that we reach a critical mass of children, it’s almost a no-brainer,” said Dr. Vincent Chiang, the chief medical officer of the department of pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital.
But Baker said he wants more guidance from the CDC and the White House.
“I’ve said all along, the one thing people should be very careful about is making absolute statements on anything that has to do with COVID,” Baker said.
The debate comes as Pfizer and Moderna are expanding vaccine testing on children age 5 to 11 amid worries about side effects, including myocarditis. While a very small number of children, mostly boys, have developed that inflammation of the heart muscle, doctors said children with COVID-19 are more likely to get myocarditis than kids who have gotten the vaccine.
“The data is really clear, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the potential for this or any other rare adverse effect,” said Dr. Lloyd Fisher, president of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
FDA approval of a vaccine for younger kids would make 900,000 Bay State residents eligible for vaccination, and state officials sent a letter to school systems urging them to develop vaccination plans. Acting DPH commissioner Margaret Cooke said vaccinating children would make everyone in Massachusetts safer.
“It’s going to reduce the chances of variants, it will provide an extra layer of protection when children return to schools and it will bring the Commonwealth that much closer to community and herd immunity,” Cooke said.
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