Sir, – As a primary-school teacher of almost 20 years, I am very concerned at the suggestion that masks be made mandatory for children.
The Health Information and Quality Authority should not mandate any action for primary-school children without adequate evidence that masks will not cause perceptible physical, emotional and educational damage to these children.
Hiqa’s study in March 2021 states that there is a lack of evidence in relation to mask wearing in children. Has there been a sudden explosion in such studies in the past six months?
On the contrary, there is a recent French study that mask wearing among young children causes ear protrusion, headaches, breathing and speaking difficulties and mood changes.
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Hiqa did not recommend masks for young children back in March, when barely 10 per cent of the population were vaccinated.
Why is the use of masks being mooted now when the vast majority of the adult population has been fully vaccinated and the effects of Covid on children, even with the Delta variant, remain mild?
– Yours, etc,
KATIE FARRELL,
Terenure,
Dublin 12.
A chara, – I was delighted to see your wonderful photo in Tuesday’s Irish Times of the Meath ladies team joyously celebrating the recent semi-final win against Cork. The number 22 who featured very prominently in the photo taught fifth class in our school last year.
This morning I excitedly asked her former pupils if they recognised anyone in the photo, however to my amazement nobody did.
When I expressed my disappointment, one pupil promptly explained to me that he failed to recognise his teacher because she always wore a mask.
I thought this was a poignant reflection of our times; however we live in hope that this situation will not continue for too much longer. – Is mise le meas,
RONAN Mac NAMARA,
Principal, St Kilian’s NS,
Mullagh,
Co Cavan.