While you are buying presents this year, give the gift of life.  If you are not already, get vaccinated.  If you are vaccinated, make sure to get your booster shot.  If you know someone who is not vaccinated, try to convince them to get vaccinated.  Yes, I know that it is hard to break through the misinformation and lies.  Misinformation is killing people.  We need to find a way to stop the misinformation that is spreading through our country. In this post, I document the facts about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and show how misinformation spreads because people do not understand everything they read in a critical manner.  
 
First, Yes, Evidence Shows That the Vaccines Are Very Safe.
 
The truth is:  COVID-19 vaccines are safe and readily available for ages 5 through seniors, and the COVID vaccine is the best way to prevent getting COVID-19.  Also, don’t forget to keep wearing a mask.  The mask is important and safe.

Did you know that the U.S. has been one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19 in the world?

“Ironically, the nation which is considered the most medically advanced in the world has the highest number of both confirmed cases and deaths. The US count sits at just over 48 million cases, which is 18% of the world’s total. Deaths, at just over 777,000 are 15% of the world’s total. US numbers are also undercounted according to most experts.”
 
COVID-19 is on the rise again, especially the children.  Give a child a chance to grow-up and become an adult, get the child vaccinated.  Don’t believe the misinformation and lies.  Vaccinate the children.
“Weekly pediatric infections have risen by more than 40% since late October.”

 
Second, People Often Do Not Understand What They Read
 
One of the reasons that coronavirus is so bad in our country is that people do not analyze or comprehend what they read.  As I have said before, at my reading clinic, I teach children how to tell the difference between what is true and what is make-believe.  Maybe we need to do this with adults as well. People need to understand what they read.  They also need to be able to evaluate what they read.  

I also teach children how to comprehend what they read. I'll be posting in the near future about how we can improve reading comprehension. 

 
Keep children safe this Christmas.  Let them Live.  Get them vaccinated.
Don’t let social media lies kill the children.

​_______________
 
For more about the failure of the standard system for teaching comprehension, see: 
Reason #8 That Reading Scores Were Lower in 2019 than in 2017:  The Three Cueing System 
 
For more about teaching children, see: 
​How Dangerous Is Misinformation?

We have been talking a lot about misinformation recently, and it just so happens that we have a major holiday coming up which is, you guessed it, based on misinformation.  If you're like me, you were taught in school that the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock fleeing religious persecution in England and were helped by Squanto, a friendly Wampanoag Native American.  The first Thanksgiving in 1621 was said to have been a joyous celebration of the harvest.
 
Unfortunately, the true story of the first Thanksgiving is not quite that simple or, even, necessarily all that friendly.  Historians have been arguing for years over exactly what did happen at the first Thanksgiving.  There are several accounts.  Some even claim that the traditional Thanksgiving feast did not include turkey, mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie; instead, they dined on “deer meat….  local vegetables and fish.”
 
I will not claim to have sorted out all of the historical confusion, but I would like to share two historical accounts with you.  I'll leave it with you to do more digging and figure out the facts.
 
If you are traveling to Plymouth Massachusetts for Thanksgiving, there are different historical presentations.

• “You can watch the official parade, in which townspeople dressed like pilgrims march to Plymouth Rock bearing blunderbusses and beating drums.”

 

• “Or you can stand on the top of Coles Hill with indigenous people and their supporters and fast in observance of what they call a "national day of mourning."

 
 
As the old saying goes, there are two sides to every story. History is no different.  History as we encounter it in school is written to match the perceptions of the people writing the textbooks—often  correlating with the political party in power at the time. 
  
I know, when I dressed up as a Pilgrim in 3rd grade and participated in our school’s Thanksgiving play, we did not talk about the smallpox epidemic that killed more than 90% of the local Native American population at that time on the New England coast.  
 
Our play only talked about grateful pilgrims and supportive Native Americans who helped the pilgrims learn how to plant corn.
  
You will remember that we have talked before about perceptions; Perceptions are not necessarily true.  Perceptions are what you think, but perceptions are not always based on facts, as we have experienced throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 
 ____________

For a more complete definition of perceptions, see:  Why Do People Fear the COVID Vaccine More Than COVID-19? The Perception of Control
​____________

Steven Peters, a spokesperson for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, has been working with other Mashpee and Herring Pond Wampanoag tribe members along with local museums to try and bring a more accurate Thanksgiving story to light.  He said,
 
“Even though it’s inaccurate, we can’t just bury it….  I think the only way forward is to understand the history the way that it happened….  There’s a place where those things do belong, as a point that we don’t make that mistake ever again.”
 
He went on to say that he and his family will continue to celebrate Thanksgiving.  They celebrate Thanksgiving every year after the National Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Yet, he reminds us that it is important to look at both sides of the story.
 
In the middle of your hectic Thanksgiving celebration, I hope you take a few minutes to read these articles that I have cited and to think about what they tell us about our traditional historical account of the first Thanksgiving.  No, history is not always accurate.
 
The Smithsonian Channel is releasing a new film this year, “Behind the Holiday: the First Thanksgiving.”  It was filmed at the Plimoth Patuxet Museum. 

 
What are you thankful for this year?​

Did Someone Really Just Say that COVID-19 Is Over?
 
Unfortunately, yes, they did, but no, I will not give you a link to such nonsense.  I refuse to help spread misinformation, false data, and out-and-out lies.  Instead, let me give a factual, real update.  This information comes from Ed White, writing for the Associated Press on November 18, 2021, who explains that the virus is surging again: 
 
“The U.S. is now averaging nearly 87,000 new coronavirus cases per day, up from 72,000 two weeks ago, and hospitalizations are starting to increase again after steadily falling since the peak of the summer delta variant surge. The country is still averaging more than 1,100 deaths a day, and the number of Americans to die from COVID-19 now stands at 768,000.”
 
“About 59% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, or about 195 million Americans. The government and health officials are urging more people to get vaccinated, especially the 60 million people who have yet to receive a first dose.”
 
So, as you can see, COVID-19 is far from over.
 
Right now, the majority of the new surge in COVID cases seems to be focused in the upper Midwest.  Some Michigan schools have even closed early for Thanksgiving to allow for heavy cleaning in the buildings.  New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, Maine, Vermont, and Arizona are all reporting an increase in new cases of COVID-19.  In Arizona, “90% of the inpatient hospital beds” are full.  In New Hampshire, “327 people have been placed in the hospital” recently with COVID-19.  This is more than their earlier pandemic high from December 2020.  Governor Tim Walz from Minnesota is asking everyone to get vaccinated immediately. He said:
 
“I need Minnesotans to recognize, as we’ve been saying, this is a dangerous time.”
 
In Vermont, Governor Phil Scott is calling on the legislators to pass a bill giving local governments the power to adopt temporary mask mandates.  This is significant because, in the past, Governor Scott has been opposed to mask mandates.
 
So, no, COVID-19 is not over. Cases are, for example, surging in Colorado:
 
“In Colorado, there were 622 newly reported COVID-19 cases and 4 newly reported COVID-19 deaths on Nov 17, 2021.”
  
Yes, people are still catching COVID-19 and people are still dying from COVID-19.  COVID is not over.  If you read on social media that COVID was over, do not believe it.  It’s just another example of misinformation, false information, or just out-and-out lies.
 
As Dr. Breyer, who currently cares for some of the sickest patients at three UC Health hospitals in northern Colorado, explained:
 
"There's so much misinformation out there…. When I see people, they're at the end of their rope there. They're anxious and scared and about to go on a ventilator, some of whom will die. And I just wish that we could figure out what to do to convince more people of the safety and efficacy of the vaccination. It really is the No. 1 treatment that can prevent people from ending up here."
 
Like Dr. Breyer, I wish there could be a way to convince people that the COVID vaccine is safe as well.  Misinformation does so much harm.  It can even kill people.

Earlier Post:  COVID-19 Misinformation and Lies Are Killing Young People 
​
I’m pleased to report from the area where I live that some people are getting the message.  No, not all.  Dr. Kim Onufrak just reported that for the Texas Coastal Bend area, approximately 700 children ages 5 to 11 have received the vaccine just since last Wednesday.  Dr. Onufrak went on to say in the Coastal Bend, vaccinations, for all ages, are near 64-percent. As Dr. Onufrak said:
 
"We saw with the Delta variant a lot of the kids were getting infected and sometimes they can bring it home and get other family members infected as well. So we're hoping that with the pediatric rollout we'll get closer to 70 percent."
  
Dr. Onufrak encouraged Coastal Bend residents to stay safe and continue practicing social distancing and other COVID-19 procedures.  Like, wearing a mask.  No, don’t take your mask off yet.
 
Encourage everyone you know to get vaccinated as soon as possible.  All ages.  Do not delay.  If you haven't, as soon as you are eligible, also get a booster. 

After months and months of waiting, the pediatric COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine is now officially available for children ages 5 to 11.  Many parents have been desperately waiting for the vaccine to be approved, while still other parents are uncertain that the vaccine is safe, and yes, there are those who are adamant that they will never get their children vaccinated.

 
Why are some parents hesitant about the vaccine? 
 
It’s not as if vaccinating children is something new.  We vaccinate children against polio, measles, smallpox, and many other viruses.  In order for a child to go to public school, a child must be vaccinated. 
 
I’m old enough to remember the fight over the polio vaccine.  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia writes that some parents could not wait for the vaccine to be released.
 
“Parents were scared of the polio epidemics that occurred each summer; they kept their children away from swimming pools, sent them to stay with relatives in the country, and clamored for an understanding of the spread of polio. They waited for a vaccine, closely following vaccine trials and sending dimes to the White House to help the cause. When the polio vaccine was licensed in 1955, the country celebrated, and Jonas Salk, its inventor, became an overnight hero.”
 
Yet, that is certainly not the response that we are hearing today to COVID-19.  Why? 
 
To be honest, yes, there was some resistance to the polio vaccine in the 50’s, but absolutely nothing like we are seeing today with COVID-19.
 
So, why are parents afraid of the COVID-19 vaccine?  Again, misinformation has created fear. 
 
Since we do not want to rely on misinformation from social media, let’s search for the facts so we can make an informed decision about what is best for children.
 
Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a specialist in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Child Health Advocacy, encourages all parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible.  She explains the importance:  
 
“Many thousands of children have been hospitalized and children in this age group have died from COVID-19 during the pandemic. Children also do spread the disease so anything we can do to lessen the illness, the better off we will be.  …it's also important to know that MIS-C, the severe post-COVID illness seen in children, is most common in this age group.”
 
On social media, others are saying but children do not get as sick and besides COVID is over—done, finished.  Is it?  The numbers are lower, but does that actually mean that COVID-19 is over?  Unfortunately, we still have children getting sick and dying.

• Just this last week an 11-year-old died from COVID-19 in Kentucky.

 

• A 10-year-old girl died in Virginia in late September from COVID-19 after being sick for only 5 days.

 
The Internet is also saying that children do not get as sick from Covid, but is that true?

• A 10-year-old boy in Missouri tested positive for Covid-19 the beginning of October, was hospitalized with pneumonia and acute respiratory failure, and eventually had to be placed on the ECHO machine.  His mother said that the ECHO machine saved her son’s life, but now he’s having to relearn how to walk, eat, and even talk because his vocal cords were paralyzed during treatment.  The boy was eager to take the vaccine and had just been waiting till it was approved.  Unfortunately, while he was waiting, he almost died.  The child explained to his mother:

 
 
“I wish I could have had that [the vaccine] and I probably wouldn’t be like this right now.”
 
Needless to say, this mother encourages every parent to get their child vaccinated as soon as possible.
 
Another mother calling for parents to get their children vaccinated did the research to learn more about the vaccine her daughter would be taking.  She didn’t rely on social media; she searched for the facts.  She said,

“I am aware that my daughter was not at high risk for complications or hospitalization from COVID-19. That doesn’t mean that we’re out of the woods. While my eagerness to get her vaccinated was motivated in part by a desire to prevent long-haul symptoms … [and to keep safe] those people in our lives who are at high risk for complications from COVID-19. 
 
“Before vaccines like this ever reach the pediatric phase, even in emergency situations, significant research has already been done to ensure safety. mRNA vaccines have been studied for upwards of 30 years, and we’ve been researching the Coronavirus family of viruses for even longer, so the science isn’t new. By the time my daughter got her first dose of Pfizer vaccine, we already had more than a year worth of research for this particular vaccine under our belt. 
 
“Regarding side effects, vaccines are different from over-the-counter medications … But with vaccines, side effects present within a matter of weeks, not over the course of years, because the vaccine introduces new information to the immune system and then leaves the body. 
 
“No vaccine in history has resulted in side effects that suddenly appeared years after injection.  
 
“My child’s DNA has not been altered. Her arm is not magnetized. Nor has she developed any new access to 5G. Much to her dismay, when she gets an attitude, she cannot use her injection site to access the internet after I turn off the WiFi.”
 
This parent’s article is marked as an “opinion,” as it should be.  She’s just a parent, not an expert in the field, but she has taken the time to seek out “real” information and facts.  She has not taken her information from social media.  She went to the doctors and to actual research sites.  This is what we all need to do.
 
If you want to know if the vaccine is safe for children, don’t turn to social media, search for the truth.


1. No, children do not receive the same dose as adults.  

The CDC explains the policy:
 
“Children 5 through 11 years old will receive a separate vaccine formulation denoted with an orange cap of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine that has one-third the dose given to adolescents and adults, and will receive the vaccine with a smaller needle.”
 

2. Yes, COVID-19 is still dangerous for children.  
Let's look at an excellent article that speaks directly to parents with children in this age group.  Dr. Tina Tan, M. D., a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at Northwestern and Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago says that parents should not wait and get their children vaccinated later.  They should vaccinate now.
 
“You can't wait until millions and millions of doses are given before you decide, because this virus is going to take every opportunity it can to infect someone…  Even though COVID-19 cases are trending downward, 90% of counties in the U.S. are still classified by CDC as having “high” or “substantial” viral spread.
 
“Because the delta variant is that much more transmissible, kids can get delta and can get quite sick from it….  You cannot predict — in a normal healthy child — who's going to get very sick and who's not. [Vaccinating] is the best way to protect your child against getting severe COVID illness.”


3. Here’s a video that destroys some of those social media false statements.  

If we want children to be back in school, and stay in school so they can learn to read, it would make a big difference for them to be vaccinated. Reading is the key to success! 

Don't delay and do not rely on misinformation from social media; search for the facts so that you can make an informed decision.  Stop sharing false information.  Encourage others to search for the truth as well.

Do you evaluate what you read or hear?  Or, do you just believe whatever you see printed on social media or voiced on your favorite radio or TV station? 
 
Misinformation affects everything we do, including health and education, and we need to learn to evaluate our sources. We just had four astronauts return to earth from the International Space Station.  Yet, no matter how many pictures or facts verify that our planet earth is indeed not flat.  “Flat earthers” still contend that science is wrong and that the earth is flat. 
 
Why do some people refuse to accept scientific facts? 
 
Failure to accept scientific facts has been a major problem throughout the coronavirus pandemic.  Why would people choose to believe unproven gossip from social media instead of scientific research facts?
 
Just in case you're wondering, yes, the earth is definitely round.  No, it is not flat.  The coronavirus vaccine can and does save lives if people get vaccinated, but not being vaccinated can be deadly.  So far, the vaccine is the best way we have to save human lives against COVID-19. 
 
As Dr. Stuart C. Ray, M. D.,A professor of Medicine and Oncology in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said,
 
"It seems compelling, even for skeptics, that unvaccinated people represent 99% of those now dying [in the US] from COVID-19…."
 
Yet, if you turn to social media right now, you will find many people saying they are still afraid to get vaccinated.  Why?  Especially when statistics show that nearly all of the COVID-19 deaths in the US right now are from people who are not vaccinated.  Why are people taking such a risk?  Why would people take such a risk with their children and youth?  I contend that the cause is misinformation.
 
Once again, people are unwilling to believe science.  Don’t forget Galileo!  In 1633, Galileo was accused of heresy because he believed that “the sun is the center of the world… does not move from east to west, and that the earth does move, and is not the center of the world.”
 
It took 300 years to get people to accept that Galileo was right.  I hope it doesn't take that long for the COVID-19 vaccine.  Some of us will not make it.
 
Yes, in case you have not guessed, I completely and totally believe in the COVID-19 vaccine, and I'm proud to say I am fully vaccinated, including my booster shot. 
 
No, I do not take my medical advice from social media, nor from politicians.  As I have said before, for medical issues, I turn to real doctors.
 

Scientific facts can save lives.  Social media gossip can kill.
 
Recent research by Yan Su, a doctorial graduate student at Washington State University, found that the more frequently people turned to social media for their news or information about the coronavirus pandemic, the more likely they were to believe misinformation—false information.  Su went on to say that blind reliance on social media is dangerous:
 
“Fact checkers are important for social media platforms to implement. When there is no fact checker, people just choose to believe what is consistent with their pre-existing beliefs….  It’s also important for people to try to get out of their comfort zones and echo chambers by talking with people who have different points of view and political ideologies. When people are exposed to different ideas, they have a chance to do some self-reflection and self-correction….  During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has spread a lot of conspiracy theories and misinformation, which has negative consequences because many people use these false statements as evidence to consolidate their pre-existing political ideologies and attack each other….  It’s important to understand the antecedents and motivations for believing and circulating misinformation beliefs, so we can find ways to counteract them.”
  
Yan Su makes an excellent point: we need to understand why people circulate incorrect and false information, especially since such misinformation can and has killed people during the coronavirus pandemic.  Before we try to understand why people circulate misinformation or in some cases out and out lies, let's define exactly what misinformation is.  We’ll turn to a research study on the effects of misinformation to clarify what is presently being meant by the term misinformation.  This research article was published in Progress in Disaster Science, a journal devoted to examining public health emergencies.
 
“Misinformation… is incorrect information… false information … information received via social media, and misinformation on social media can generate disastrous responses from the individual public. Unfortunately, social media does not always share correct information.”
 
As the researchers indicate in their article, we can break down misinformation by whether it is intentionally circulated or haphazardly circulated.  Misinformation can therefore be defined as incorrect or false information that is either shared by mistake as correct when in fact it is false, or information known to be false and shared intentionally to harm others.  As the researchers concluded, it is all inaccurate information, regardless of whether it was shared intentionally or simply without checking to verify facts.  Misinformation or false information can and does hurt people and can even kill.  The researchers even go on to say that social media should be held responsible and even liable for the information that they spread.  Social media could even play an important role in stopping the spread of misinformation and thereby reducing the increase of COVID-19.
 
So, misinformation is not, as some claim, a different opinion or “alternative facts.”  No, misinformation is false information.  It is information that is not true. 
So, what should we do? We know that there are people who are sharing misinformation left and right on social media, not caring and not bothering to check whether it is true or false before they share it.  They're just simply pushing the little button and sending it off to zillions of others.
 
We also know that there are people who are intentionally sharing false information, knowing that it is false, and doing so for their own personal benefit.  Yes, there are people making money off of sharing misinformation.  We'll talk about this very topic in a later blog post.  For now, I want to talk about the problems misinformation causes.
 
Misinformation is not a new problem.
 
Misinformation has plagued us for many years and has caused problems in many different areas of society.  Let’s look at an example outside the political arena of COVID-19.
 
I am a psychologist. I work with children who struggle to learn to read because we found that reading failure is one of the underlying root causes of other psychological and even many social problems.  Research shows that 85% of adolescents and youth who end up in the juvenile court system are “functionally illiterate:” they cannot read.  Statistics also show that 70% of American prison inmates cannot read above the 4th grade level.  Research also shows that 78% of students who cannot read at grade level by the end of 4th grade never catch up to their grade level in reading.  

Coronavirus numbers have dropped a bit during the last few weeks, which has led many people to say, do we still need to wear a mask? 

Be careful, you may recall in May and June we had another drop in case numbers.  Again, many people got all excited, and took off their masks.  What happened?  The Delta surge marked some of the deadliest of COVID-19 days. Yes, we still need to wear a mask. 
 
COVID-19 Is Not Over. 
 
Two more teachers died this week in Minnesota.
 
Two parents in Wisconsin are suing their school district, saying that unmasked classmates have made elementary children sick.  Shannon Jensen is suing the School district of Waukesha because her son came down with COVID after sitting next to an unmasked, infected student.  Gina Kildahl is suing the School District of Fall Creek because a classmate came to school sick and without a mask.  The sick student, who had COVID at the time, sat next to her oldest son.  Her son was wearing a mask, but two days later, he tested positive for COVID-19.  She’s suing to try to get the school to force students and staff to wear masks.
 
“I am just hoping that they will start masking and take some responsibility to keep our kids safe at school….” 
  
Ms. Kildahl went on to explain that all three of her sons ended up coming down with COVID from the one classroom exposure. 
 
 
Yes, We Definitely Still Need to Wear a Mask.
 
Even though we want to pretend all is well, people are still getting sick and dying.  Just this week, 68,071 new cases were reported in only one day (people tested and confirmed) and 1,536 new deaths for that day. 
 ​
 
So No, Do Not Take Your Mask Off Yet.
 
Remember back in May when the CDC said we didn’t need masks anymore?  Delta only represented 1% of recorded COVID cases in the U. S.  Now, the Delta variant is responsible for approximately 83% of COVID cases.  Masks make a difference.  Keep your masks on.

Even students are asking others to wear a mask.  A teenager responded to an editorial and said,
​
“Many students such as myself have been saying we are unfazed by wearing a mask and we might even feel a little naked without it. Having spent a year and a half worried about what might happen to us and our loved ones, those of us in younger generations have done everything we can to protect ourselves and our families. Something I have noticed personally is that the people who complain the most about wearing a mask tend to be baby boomers or Gen Xers. Adults often gripe about how uncomfortable masks are, but the kids and students I’ve talked to tend to say that sure, it’s a bit stuffy, but it’s better to wear a mask than get COVID-19.”

​
Schools Are Not Out Of Danger.
 
Research has also found that schools that require both students and staff to wear masks are “3.5 times less likely to have a coronavirus outbreak.”
 
As Arizona Schools Superintendent Kathy Hoffman explained,
 
“It is irresponsible of the state government to stand in the way of local leaders making decisions that protect the health and safety of their students and staff….  Until we have suppressed community spread by vaccinating more individuals, including children under 12, universal masking will continue to be a critical tool in limiting the spread of the virus in our schools.”
 
In light of that warning, I turned to a recent study on the ability of masks to protect you from COVID-19.  This is a preprint article.  That means it has passed peer review and is being published, but that you may read the preprint before publication.  It comes from an environmental engineering group who studies air quality—excellent source.  They tested everything from cotton cloth masks, bandanas, to disposable surgical masks.  The N95 and KN95 respirators were naturally rated as the best, but other results were very interesting.
 
“The filtration efficiency at the most penetrating particle size of 0.3 ranged from 83-99% for N95 and KN95 respirators, 42-88% for surgical masks, 16-23% for cloth masks, and 9% for bandana…. doubling surgical masks or layering a cloth mask over surgical mask can be a better option than single masks….”
  
N-95’s are obviously the best but surgical masks or layering a surgical and cloth mask worked surprisingly better than expected.  The key is how well does your mask fit.
 
Bandannas didn’t work well.  The mask needs to fit tightly around the mouth and nose.  No, a mesh mask will definitely not work, neither will a crocheted mask.  Yes, some people have tried such things.

 
How Do You Select A Good Mask?

The researchers found that one of the primary requirements for a good mask is “how well does it fit.”  You want a mask to fit tight around the face over the nose and not to gap.  If the surgical mask or bandana has gaps or areas where air could leak in, then it is obviously not as effective.  If the mask does not stay up covering the nose, again then it is obviously not as effective.  Surprisingly, repeated washing of cotton cloth mask did not reduce their ability to provide protection.  Cotton broadcloth has proven to be one of the better cloth materials for masks.  The researchers also found that double masking was effective.  For example, placing a snug fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask improved the effectiveness.
 
The next question is how do you know whether a mask is good or bad.  As one person stated, if you’re wearing your N-95 below your nose, it is not doing you any good.  A snug fit around the face and over the nose is essential for any mask to be effective. 
 
There are so many masks on the market right now and so many people claiming that their mask is the best that it is sometimes hard to find out whether you’re actually purchasing an effective mask or not.
A website maintained by the CDC will help you evaluate the quality of your mask.  Locate your mask on the chart by the manufacturer’s name and number for your mask.  Unfortunately, it does not have a specific children’s section.  

A guide sheet specifically for children can be found at:  Masks for kids - Google Sheets  This is a guide sheet compiled by two engineers from Virginia Tech.
​
Another guide sheet that I like is written by Elizabeth Segran, Ph. D.  I like to call this particular article—user friendly.  If my previous two suggestions seemed too technical, then Segran’s article offers the same basic information but in simpler, easier to follow terms. She gives practical advice on how to make a mask fit.  She also provides a caution statement against the N95 masks manufactured by the Shanghai Dasheng Health Products Manufacturing Company.  According to Segran, these particular N95’s are worthless.  


​Masks Are Important.
 
So, spend some time selecting a mask for you and your child. As Katelyn Jetelina said,
 
“Pre-Delta, we knew masks worked very well. Loose fitting masks, like double cloth masks, even still blocked 51% of particles. With Delta, though, we really need to start wearing better masks….  Surgical masks have a great filter, but sometimes they are way too loose on kids. Fit and filter are very important with Delta. For great masks look for ASTM-certified surgical or tight-fitting cloth masks for kids. For fantastic masks, look for KN95 or KF94 made for kids.”
  
The old saying that any mask is better than no mask is still true, but with Delta, we need to step up and give our children more than just the regular mask.  Of course, the only mask that works is the one your child wears correctly all day.  If your child prefers a decorated mask, remember, you can always wear a decorated cloth mask over a more effective children’s mask—dress it up a little.
 
 
Are You Like the First Grader Who Wouldn’t Take His Mask Off, Even for His School Picture?
 
A first grader refused to take his mask off at school, even for his school picture.  He wanted to stay safe. Wasn't that wise of him?  His mother said, “We have a family portrait--a wall where we put all our family portraits—so that’s definitely going right in the center.” 

_________________

Does Wearing a Face Mask Affect Your Ability to Breathe?