Published January 27, 2022 in the Journal of American Medical Association: Pediatrics.
Association of Child Masking With COVID-19-Related Closures in US Childcare Programs
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic a commonly asked question regarding childcare has been: Is child masking associated with reduced COVID-19–related childcare program closures?
Findings:
In this survey study of 6,654 childcare professionals from all 50 states using national databases and state childcare registries data, child masking at baseline (May 22 to June 8, 2020) was associated with a 13% reduction in program closure within the following year, and continued child masking throughout the 1-year study period was associated with a 14% reduction in program closure. These findings suggest that masking of children in childcare programs is associated with reduced program closures, supporting current masking recommendations in younger children provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more information on the YALE research and findings visit: