Doc Answers FAQ On Masking As Schools Drop Mandate

San Francisco CA

08 March, 2022

6:44 PM

Description

By Annika Hom, Mission Local March 7, 2022 As wearing masks in schools becomes optional in San Francisco and takes effect next Monday, local doctors pointed out today that vaccinations remain the best way to avoid severe illness, but Latinx and Black children still lag behind in vaccination rates. While severe sickness is less likely among younger children, inoculation can significantly lower the chance of severe infection, said Dr. Carina Marquez, an associate professor of medicine at UCSF during a Latino Task Force health meeting on Monday. And, especially with omicron, "boosting is critical," she said. Only 19 percent percent of 12 to 17-year-olds have been boosted, she said, though they are eligible. Latinx, Black, Native American and Pacific Islander children lag far behind Asian and white children. To read the full article, click here. Mission Local covers San Francisco from the vantage point of the Mission, a neighborhood with all of the promise and problems of a major city. You can support Mission Local here.