August 21, 2020
Dear parents,
As we enter the new school year, districts and states have developed safety plans to help protect everyone and keep the school environment as safe as possible for both your children and for the teachers and staff. Plans includes the requirement for all children 5 and over to wear masks when not able to socially distance. This requirement is based on the medical knowledge regarding how this virus is spread and is intended to protect not only the mask wearer, but more importantly others around should the mask wearer have COVID-19 and not be aware that he or she may be spreading it. The district has developed an exemption form, in the event that certain individuals are unable to wear a mask for medical/safety reasons. Physicians and the greater medical community agree that there are very few situations where an individual should be exempt from wearing a mask. This is supported by the AAP’s statement: “Cloth face coverings can be safely worn by all children 2 years of age and older, including the vast majority of children with underlying health conditions, with rare exception.” The only true medical exemptions that outweigh the protective benefits of wearing a mask are those in which the mask is truly a danger to the patient. These would be limited to conditions in which the patient is unable to physically remove the mask in the even of impaired breathing such as a quadriplegic, a patient with severe cerebral palsy, or a patient with an injury where both arms are immobilized. Severe genetic skin conditions such as epidermolysis bullosa where minor trauma causes severe blistering of the skin and a mask could potentially cause damage, could be another situation that would put the child at increased risk of infections. While we understand that there may be unique circumstances, and we will certainly do our best to address individual concerns and make a decision based on our medical knowledge, please understand that most respiratory conditions, anxiety, and even most sensory issues do not outweigh the benefits of wearing a mask and will likely not meet medical recommendation for an exemption. In fact, most respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchiolitis, cystic fibrosis actually make wearing masks even more important to protect the patient from viruses that may have an even more significant impact on their lungs. Please understand that we do our best every day to care for all of our children and keep them as safe and as healthy as possible. It is with this in mind and with the best medical knowledge that we have, that we limit exemptions to the very rare cases where there is a significant danger or risk of wearing the mask that outweighs the benefits.
Thank you for your understanding and stay safe,
Premier Care Pediatrics Physicians and Staff