San Francisco’s Division of Public Well being quietly up to date its masks steering for youngsters ages 2 to 9 on Wednesday.
The change was first seen after a well being division spokesperson reached out to SFGATE concerning an op-ed that ran Wednesday titled “San Francisco needs to be like Europe with regards to COVID, youngsters, masks and faculties.” The op-ed, submitted by 41 Bay Space dad and mom and residents, contained the road, “It’s extremely illogical that SFDPH doesn’t mandate face coverings for youngsters underneath 10 in indoor public buildings, but requires them for youngsters ages 2 and up in baby care and college settings, the place studying and socialization are key elements,” and linked to San Francisco’s masks steering web page.
When three separate SFGATE editors fact-checked that line within the op-ed Tuesday earlier than publication, town’s steering for youngsters specified that kids 2 to 9 should put on masks in settings comparable to college or baby care, however mentioned solely that kids over 10 should put on masks in public buildings, as proven on this copy of the web page captured by the Wayback Machine in September:
The model of San Francisco’s masks steering for youngsters that SFGATE editors accessed Tuesday.
San Francisco Division of Public Well beingHowever on Thursday, an SFDPH spokesperson wrote to SFGATE in an e-mail, “The op-ed incorrectly states that kids underneath 10 do not need to put on masks in indoor public buildings, comparable to grocery shops and eating places. The truth is, it’s required that kids over 2 put on masks in these settings,” and supplied a hyperlink to the identical masks web page, which now mentioned kids 2 and over should put on masks in public buildings. SFDPH mentioned the change occurred Wednesday. The SFGATE op-ed was printed at 4 a.m. that morning.
The present model of San Francisco’s masks steering for youngsters.
San Francisco Division of Public Well beingGone from the unique model is the road stating that kids ages 2 by way of 9 should solely put on face coverings outdoors of college and baby care settings “if they’ll.” Added is the requirement that “kids 2 and older should put on face coverings in indoor public buildings” — which is seemingly a major change to town’s masks guidelines.
When SFGATE requested SFDPH when and why that change occurred, a spokesperson directed us to the textual content of town’s official well being order, which states, “Kids age two to 9 years should put on Properly-Fitted Masks to the best extent possible” in settings the place masks are required of everybody, comparable to grocery shops and eating places.
Nevertheless, “to the best extent possible” extra so mirrors the unique “if they’ll” language than it does the “should put on face coverings in indoor public buildings” replace.
The SFDPH spokesperson mentioned that the location containing the masks steering — versus town’s official well being order — “is designed to be simply accessible to a large public viewers” and “for the reason that language gave the impression to be inflicting confusion we clarified it.”
When SFGATE requested whether or not the language within the official well being order can even be tightened to replicate the brand new language on the steering web page, the division mentioned that the “to the best extent possible” language solely applies to “well-fitted masks” as outlined within the order, and that masks have all the time been required in indoor public buildings for youngsters ages 2 by way of 9 if one reads between the traces of the well being order.
“Kids age two to 9 can have been an alternate sort of face masking to a well-fitted masks if their father or mother or caregiver determines it should enhance the kid’s capability to adjust to this Order,” the division mentioned in an announcement. “Such an alternate continues to be a face masking and nonetheless required. An instance of an alternate face masking is a face protect with a drape on the underside edge. To recap, the well being order has all the time required a face masking for youngsters age two to 9 years previous in indoor public buildings. Kids of that age should put on a well-fitted masks to the best extent possible. If that’s not possible in sure conditions, the kid should nonetheless put on a unique sort of face masking.”
The masks steering web page has by no means — and nonetheless doesn’t — draw any distinction concerning “well-fitted masks” and masking options for youngsters, however the web page does say decrease down, in a piece for everybody, “If you happen to can’t put on a medical or material masks, use different choices,” and, “You’re nonetheless required to put on one thing over your nostril and mouth to dam droplets, comparable to a gaiter with 2 layers.”
The well being order itself doesn’t specify some sort of face masking have to be worn if well-fitted masks are usually not attainable; it solely accommodates the road within the SFDPH assertion that “kids could put on an alternate face masking if their father or mother or caregiver determines it should enhance the kid’s capability to adjust to this Order.”
