Family physicians encourage masking and vaccination of students
As parents and students prepare for the start of the fall 2021 school year, the TAFP Board of Directors has heard loud and clear from many members that students, teachers, administrators, and all other personnel affiliated with Texas schools should take all necessary precautions to avoid infection and spread of COVID-19. The Academy has released a statement urging that everyone involved in in-person education at schools wear masks and that all eligible people be vaccinated for COVID-19. Read the statement here.
Family Physicians Encourage Masking and Vaccination of Students
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The Texas Academy of Family Physicians joins the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Pediatric Society, and the Texas Public Health Coalition to strongly urge children aged 12 and older be vaccinated for COVID-19 and to encourage mask-wearing for everyone in schools to protect those who can’t be vaccinated.
TAFP recommends that all children attend school this fall for in-person learning and that all students older than two years and all school staff wear face masks when indoors at school unless medical or developmental conditions prohibit use.
TAFP strongly encourages that districts recommend all students and staff wear masks. We also encourage students, staff, and faculty to take precautions, including physical distancing, symptom reporting, and handwashing. Additionally, schools should continue improving ventilation, cleaning, and disinfecting. This multi-layered approach will best protect our students, staff, and families, and facilitate in-person learning with minimal disruptions.
Additionally, TAFP strongly encourages local school districts to follow CDC guidelines regarding contact tracing and self-quarantining when an individual has been in close contact with a COVID positive patient.
The Texas Academy of Family Physicians is the premier membership organization dedicated to uniting the family doctors of Texas through advocacy, education, and member services, and empowering them to provide a medical home for patients of all ages. It has 32 local chapters and is a chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Visit www.tafp.org for more information.
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