Expert explains importance of masks for school mitigation

As COVID-19 cases are already on the rise in schools, an expert on the matter explains the importance of masks for mitigation.

ALREADY IN EFFECT IN THEDISTRICT.WE SPOKE TO APROMINENT ACEMADIC INPEDIATRICS ANDVIROLOGY ABOUT THEOUTLOOK FOR THECOMING SCHOOL YEAR ASDISTRICTS BALANCE IN-PERSON LEARNING ANDSAFETY PROTOCOLS.KSHB 41 NEWS REPTEORRDAN COHEN JOINS US LIVETHIS MORNING WITH THATINSIGHT FOR US...DAN,THIS PROFESSOR PAINTEDA REALISTIC PICTURE FORYOU AND OUR LOCALFAMILIES...YES TAYLOR AND LINDSAY,I SPOKE TO DR. PETERHOTEZ, WHO HAS BECOMEA PROMINENT VOICE INTHE MIDDLE OF THEPANDEMIC AS IT RELATESTO VACCINES, MASKS, D ANWHAT THAT MEANS FORCHILDREN GOING BK TOACSCHOOL.THE PEDATRICSPROFESSOR BASED AT THEBAYLOR COLLEGE OFMEDICINE TOLD ME THATTHE DELTA-DRIVENURGE SHAS CHANGED THECALCULUS FOR THEUPCOMING YEAR - WITHVACCINES NOTET YAPPROVED FOR CHILDRENUNDER THE AGE OF 12, HESAYS PROTOCOLS AREABSOLUTELY NECESRYSATO PREVENT A REPEAT OFLAST YEAR.Dr. Peter Hotez / Baylor CollegeofMedicine Professor of PediatricsI think kids are just gettingswept upin this firestorm because somanypeople are unvaccinated in ourpartsof the country, so you're goingto seea lot more pediatrichospitalizationsand ICU and pediatric ICUadmissions because of it andthat'sall the more reason why we havetoreally double down on mask andvaccine mandates, nobody likesitbut you know, if you're going tobeserious about in person classesyou've got to put those policiesinplace, otherwise what's going tohappen is so many schools aregoing to have breakout COVIDinfections that they're going togockba to virtual learning.DR. HOTEZ IS BASED INHOUSTON, TEXAS, A STATETHAT IS SEEING A HISTORICSURGE IN CASES,HOSPITALIZATIONS, ANDDEATHS.TAYLOR AND LINDSAY, HETOLD ME IS CONCERNEDABOUT ANY DISTRICT THATDOESN'T TAKE MASKINGSERIOUSLY, AS ITEXPOSES EREVYONE TO APOSSIBLE OUTBREATHK ATWOULD MAKE IN-PERSONLEARNING ANIMPOSSIBILITY.DAN, WE MENTIONED HOWABOUT 200 PEOPLE WITN HIK-C-K PUBLIC SCHOOLSARE NOW IN QUARANTINE.THE SCHOOL YEAR JUSTKICKED OFF...DO STATE LEADERS HAVE APLAN TO TACKLE THERISING CASES INSCHOOLS??ACTUALLY TODAY KANSASGOVERNOR LAURA KELLYWILL BE IN THE METRO TOTALK COVID-19.SHES VISITING ST.

LUKESHOSPITAL IN OVERLANDPARK TO ADDRESSCONCERNS OVER COVID-19SPREADING IN SCHOOLS.SHE ALSO WILL UPDATETHE COMMUNITY ONHOSPITALIZATIONS AND I-C-U CAPACITY...AGAIN THATS TODAY AT11-30 THIS MORNING...WE'LL BE SURE TO UPDATEYOU ON KSHB 41 OF THEINFORMATION E SHSHARES.