Masks in Southgate school (Enfield)

Today’s announcement that AT LEAST 10% of Year 9 students at Southgate, along with many others in other years are testing positive with Covid is shocking to hear. The reintroduction of masks is very welcome as masks help stop Covid from spreading, what is not so welcome, is the news that this reintroduction of masks will end shortly and possibly by the beginning of November.

Masks are a simple & effective way to stop (1) outbreaks like this from happening and in East Barnet school, where masks remain in use, numbers of Covid cases are far lower and in fact on the same day that Southgate announce that at least 10% of year 9s (that’s at least 23 students plus others in other years) are testing positive, East Barnet, with their mask mandate still in place, has just TWO confirmed cases across the WHOLE school that’s about 0.16% in comparison or fifty times less than at Southgate where masks have not been in use.

 We feel very strongly that the reintroduction of masks should be continued until at least case numbers in the school have dropped significantly and/or until the end of the winter when the NHS winter pressures have dropped too. Children are at risk of dying from Covid, it is rare, but so far over 11 children have died since the start of the Autumn term 2021 (and over 90 children have died since the start of the pandemic). There are also potential complications from long covid along with greater risks to the wider family and community should cases be allowed to spread uncontrolled through schools like Southgate.

‘Following the government advice’ on this front is no longer an acceptable excuse; that same government have been criticised heavily for their handling of the pandemic and the sequence of errors they have made and continue to make. Help to protect your children and the school staff, who are also at risk from Covid, by supporting the continued use of masks in school until case numbers drop significantly.  

  (1)    https://www.ajtmh.org/view/journals/tpmd/103/6/article-p2400.xml

  (2)    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58876089

Sarah Heywood    Contact the author of the petition