San Antonio health professionals denied 3 myths about COVID-19 and children

SAINT ANTHONY – As COVID-19 increases in the midst of an ongoing mask dispute, parents and others share why or not they support masks in area schools.

San Antonio’s school districts and surrounding counties have had meetings on mask warrants in recent weeks. During public comments, many who are against him cite Pro-Choice. Others provide their own data and research.

According to local health professionals, those who oppose the mandates of masks have three main arguments: masks are not very effective, we should build natural immunity, and there is a low risk for children.

Dr. Ruth Berggren of UT Health San Antonio’s Long School of Medicine and epidemiologist Dr. Jason Bowling claims these claims are misleading.

“Of course, they are not 100% effective. You will do two things to maximize your safety in this car: you will wear a seat belt and you will care about the speed limit. And you know perfectly well that doing these two things does not guarantee that you will not suffer an accident or that you will not be harmed or killed. But, you know, these things work because they improve your chances and improve your safety. Well, we have things like seat belts and observing speed limits, and he wears that mask and gets vaccinated, ”said Dr. Berggren.

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As for natural immunity, Dr. Bowling said the antibodies in the previous strain of COVID-19 are simply not enough to offer protection against the delta variant.

“What we have learned over the last few months is that people who have had a previous COVID-19 infection and have developed natural immunity and antibodies against the natural infection are unfortunately not protected against this new delta variant,” he said. Dr. Bowling.

“People who had just recovered from COVID relying on this natural immunity were twice as likely to get COVID again as people who were completely vaccinated,” Dr. Berggren added.

And, with children under 12 who cannot be vaccinated, Dr. Bowling said this delta strain is causing serious illness and some hospitalizations among the younger population.

“Although, in general, children have a less serious illness than adults, if you have enough children they get sick, you will still have a percentage in the hospital. And, unfortunately, some are dying, ”said Dr. Bowling.

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