Elementary students need to wear masks
For the past 15 months, West Virginians have banded together to drive our COVID-19 infection and death rates down. We have been successful: The statistics show new infections are basically non-existent, leading people to become more relaxed about mask wearing. However, the incredibly infectious Delta variant has already settled in the Mountain State. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization recommended that vaccinated people should wear masks indoors.
I am quite concerned that Dr. Eddie Campbell and the Monongalia Board of Education are becoming a little too relaxed with their approach to mask standards in our schools, per The Dominion Post’s June 29 article. The DP reports Dr. Campbell “wants to lift the mask mandate for the coming year, provided vaccines trend upward and positive diagnoses go the other way.” In fact, they have already made masks optional for the Monongalia County Summer Avalanche program, much to my disappointment.
CDC guidelines state “if you are not fully vaccinated … you should wear a mask in indoor public places.” I can understand relaxing mask mandates in middle or high school, since those students are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. But our elementary students still need our protection, not only from the Delta variant, but also the symptoms of what experts are calling long COVID.
My two elementary-aged children will be participating in the Summer Avalanche program. They need to be around other kids to minimize the social effects of the pandemic. However, masks should not be optional in this particular setting. When mask-wearing is mandatory, students are great about following rules and protecting each other. We need to continue to act as a community until every one of us is eligible for the vaccine. Our elementary-aged kids deserve this courtesy until they have access to the vaccine.
Christina Fattore Morgan
Morgantown
Urbanization contributes to floods after heavy rain
The editorial June 28 explaining flood/rainfall frequency was good.
Also, concrete and blacktop do not absorb water, and they allow the water to flow much faster. Forests and grassy meadows won’t stop the rain, but they sure do slow the water flow down.
Mike Superfesky
Morgantown
