Children are preparing to head back to the classroom and many parents have questions about their kids wearing face masks to protect them from COVID-19. Are they safe? How do masks help my child? Is my child really at risk of getting COVID-19?

Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Mayo Clinic Children's Center, answers these questions and offers insights into the benefits of everyone over age 2 wearing masks when in public settings or around unvaccinated people.
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For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.

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