Though the mask mandate at NWA hasn’t been in effect for more than a year, some members of the community continue to cover up. Several students and teachers consistently mask throughout the school day, and many use face coverings when they are sick or in large groups of people.
“I still do wear a mask,” said Hinata Wright, a senior. “I think it’s just a safety protocol for myself and for my family, and also for others.”
For many who still wear masks, the decision was made not only to avoid Covid, but to also steer clear of colds and other common illnesses. Teachers also cited that although many people at NWA are vaccinated, Covid can still impact students and teachers.
“I still wear a mask because I know that I could still get Covid,” said Nia Johnson, a High School Education Assistant and coordinator for the Diversity & Inclusion Center for Equity. “Even though I have a vaccine, that does not mean that the damage to my lungs and internal systems is not still happening.”
Some students see masks a way to protect themselves in larger, more crowded areas, such as concerts or protests where they might be more likely to be exposed to different illnesses.
“I think in general it’s still important [to wear masks] if you’re taking a flight or traveling especially, [or] in crowded public areas,” said Maya Weliky, a junior. “[I will] probably mask more with flu season coming on. I’m used to not having the flu now since Covid and wearing masks, and I don’t want it ever again.”
Some students, such as Wright, echo this sentiment and express confidence in their classmates to make good decisions about wearing masks.
“I think it would be helpful if there [was] common sense around some things,” said Wright. “Like [if] you are sick, make sure to wear that [because] there are people out there who have immune systems that are less powerful or strong.”
Others choose to wear masks to protect their families or to protect their classmates from illnesses that they might be exposed to at home.
“There is at least one person at my parents’ work who is constantly sick,” said Kian Lech, a freshman.
Although Lech feels like it is his responsibility to protect those around him, he does not think that people should be required to wear masks.
“Even though [Covid] is still a very real thing, I think that many people seem to be getting along fine without masks,” said Lech.
Many wear masks not only to protect others from diseases but also to protect themselves from getting sick and having to isolate.
“I still wear a mask because people are germy and there are still flus going around and I don’t want to get sick,” said Gracie Edwards-El, a freshman.
Edwards-El also thinks that more people should wear masks as a common public health procedure.
“Wearing a mask is like washing your hands,” said Edwards-El. “Especially because earlier on in the school season there were a bunch of people getting sick and getting out of class and sicknesses were spreading to entire classes and nobody was wearing a mask.”
Despite some warnings, the majority of the student body do not wear masks. Common reasons to opt out include how uncomfortable and inconvenient masks can be to wear.
“Masks fog up my glasses,” said Ryan Stenson, a junior. “[During the mask mandate] I could not see all day.”
Students who still wear face coverings at school are largely accepting of others’ choice to remain unmasked due to inconvenience.
“I think for the most part [not wearing a mask is] okay,” said Weliky. “People seem to be careful in general, and for the most part I trust my classmates [being careful] outside of school.”
Despite health concerns, some students feel pressure to not wear a mask at school and Wright has felt this influence for a much longer time than most, as she has been wearing a mask long before Covid came about.
“[In third grade] I did not want to wear a mask in front of other people because I know it’s not particularly common for people here to wear masks even if they are sick,” said Wright. “I just remember feeling super embarrassed to wear a mask.”
Others feel that there is no social pressure to refrain from wearing a mask, and have not felt judged or scrutinized for wearing one at school.
“I don’t really think that there is social pressure to not wear a mask,” said Max Orton, a junior. “I have worn masks [at school] before and have never felt any pressure not to.”
Orton’s thoughts are shared by others who don’t feel like they should stop wearing a mask due to social pressure, but Coco Brandabur, a junior, thinks that wearing one at school might cause some confusion among students.
“There is a weird society thing that if you go to school wearing a mask, people will think that you are sick,” said Brandabur. “That being said, I don’t think that there is general social pressure to not wear a mask.”
Brandabur also believes that the reason for people largely not wearing masks anymore is because of their relative scarcity, and the lack of effectiveness of cloth masks with cool or popular designs.
“I think that the production of masks has changed since the height of Covid,” said Brandabur. “Cool cloth masks are not something that you can buy as easily anymore, and simple paper masks are just not as easy to get as they were.”
Although Covid cases in Oregon have dropped since 2022, William Schaffner, a specialist in infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University, told Health Magazine that he believes that masking in public or at school is still an effective way of preventing Covid infection.
“[Covid can affect] older persons, people of any age who have a serious underlying illness, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, if you’re immune compromised,” Schaffner said. “Keep wearing that mask.”
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