San Francisco’s Division of Public Well being quietly up to date its masks steerage for kids ages 2 to 9 on Wednesday.
The change was first seen after a well being division spokesperson reached out to SFGATE relating to an op-ed that ran Wednesday titled “San Francisco needs to be like Europe in terms of COVID, youngsters, masks and colleges.” 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 kids beneath 10 in indoor public buildings, but requires them for kids ages 2 and up in baby care and faculty settings, the place studying and socialization are key elements,” and linked to San Francisco’s masks steerage web page.
When three separate SFGATE editors fact-checked that line within the op-ed Tuesday earlier than publication, town’s steerage for kids specified that kids 2 to 9 should put on masks in settings equivalent to faculty or baby care, however stated 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 steerage for kids 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 beneath 10 don’t have to put on masks in indoor public buildings, equivalent to grocery shops and eating places. In reality, 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 stated kids 2 and over should put on masks in public buildings. SFDPH stated the change occurred Wednesday. The SFGATE op-ed was revealed at 4 a.m. that morning.
The present model of San Francisco’s masks steerage for kids.
San Francisco Division of Public Well beingGone from the unique model is the road stating that kids ages 2 by means of 9 should solely put on face coverings outdoors of faculty and baby care settings “if they will.” 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, equivalent to grocery shops and eating places.
Nonetheless, “to the best extent possible” extra so mirrors the unique “if they will” language than it does the “should put on face coverings in indoor public buildings” replace.
The SFDPH spokesperson stated that the location containing the masks steerage — versus town’s official well being order — “is designed to be simply accessible to a large public viewers” and “because the language seemed 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 steerage web page, the division stated 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 kids ages 2 by means of 9 if one reads between the traces of the well being order.
“Kids age two to 9 can had been an alternate kind of face masking to a well-fitted masks if their father or mother or caregiver determines it’ll enhance the kid’s means to adjust to this Order,” the division stated in an announcement. “Such an alternate remains to be a face masking and nonetheless required. An instance of an alternate face masking is a face defend with a drape on the underside edge. To recap, the well being order has all the time required a face masking for kids 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 kind of face masking.”
The masks steerage web page has by no means — and nonetheless doesn’t — draw any distinction relating to “well-fitted masks” and masking alternate options for kids, however the web page does say decrease down, in a bit for everybody, “When you can’t put on a medical or cloth masks, use different choices,” and, “You might be nonetheless required to put on one thing over your nostril and mouth to dam droplets, equivalent to a gaiter with 2 layers.”
The well being order itself doesn’t specify some kind of face masking have to be worn if well-fitted masks usually are not attainable; it solely comprises the road within the SFDPH assertion that “kids could put on an alternate face masking if their father or mother or caregiver determines it’ll enhance the kid’s means to adjust to this Order.”
