NATIONWIDE — Families wearing masks at home could become the norm as children head back to classrooms.


What You Need To Know

  • There’s concern that asymptomatic people from school communities may bring COVID-19 home

  • CDC recommends wearing masks at home in some cases

There is a concern that children or staff members could become infected at school and then bring COVID-19 home and infect family members.

“There is suggestion that younger children may be less contagious and/or more likely to be asymptomatic,” said Adam Hersh, MD in an interview on the University of Utah Health’s website. “Even if they are less contagious than adults in their household, they are still potentially contagious.”

Hersh, who is a professor of pediatric infectious diseases specializing in epidemiology at U of U Health, also said the following:

In a lot of circumstances, people are beginning to use face coverings in their own home when people are going to be together, especially when one family member is at risk of more severe complications. Just because you’re related doesn’t mean the risk of transmitting the virus from one person to another is mitigated in any way. Other things that are important to consider are thinking about your day-to-day routine, such as your closeness to other people (even in your household) and considering eating meals outside with your family.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear a mask in public. The CDC also recommends wearing a mask at home if you are infected and need to be near other household members, or if you are a caregiver for someone with COVID-19.