Help All London, ON Children Access Quality Masks

With Ontario schools reopening for in-person learning amidst the surging Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more important that all children have access to the high filtration and respirator-style masks (e.g., N95 or KN95) that can reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Recent guidance from the Government of Canada  and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  in the United States indicates that mask type and fit are both essential components of mask effectiveness and that N95 and KN95 masks and respirators are far more effective than alternatives such as cloth and procedural masks.

While well-fitting, high filtration masks and respirators can help to significantly lower risk of infection, these resources have not been publicly provided to children in Ontario schools. Instead, the expense has shifted to individuals and families. High filtration masks and respirators are more expensive than less protective models, and they can be time-consuming to source and purchase, as they are currently in high demand. These barriers to access disproportionately affect individuals and families from systemically marginalized and underserved, under-resourced communities. These communities have carried the heaviest burdens associated with COVID-19.

As a group of parents and community members in London, Ontario, we believe that all children should have access to the masks that will increase their safety in the learning environment. Our goal is to support this access by raising funds to source and purchase high-filtration pediatric masks, as well as devices that improve mask fit. We are consulting with community members, advocates, and education, social, and health care professionals in order to ensure that we prioritize distribution to the schools throughout London that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. We know that masking is only one component of making schools safer for children, and we will continue to advocate for inclusive public policies that prioritize equity and keep citizens safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Follow us at #MaskUpLondonOnt, or reach out using the “Contact” button below. 

 

Thank you for your support.

For information on how higher quality masks can reduce transmission of COVID-19, see:
https://uwaterloo.ca/news/media/study-supports-widespread-use-better-masks-curb-covid-19 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/canada-covid-19-mask-guidance-1.6261032 
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/more-protective-masking-including-n95s-needed-to-curb-omicron-say-experts-1.5712064 
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks/about-non-medical-masks-face-coverings.html 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html 

For information on how to improve the fit of cloth and medical masks, see:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/covid-19-mask-fit-properly.html 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/mask-fit-and-filtration.html#increase-mask-protection 

For information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected marginalized and underserved communities, see:
https://globalnews.ca/news/7076738/coronavirus-visible-minorities-impact-covid-19/ 
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/epi/2020/06/covid-19-epi-diversity.pdf?la=en 
https://www.oha.com/news/research-and-information-on-covid-19-social-determinants-of-health 
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.27.21250618v1.full