Ending mandatory mask-wearing leaves vulnerable kids facing bullying, expert warns

Between February 2020 and December 31 last year, there were 472 children aged under five in hospitals with Covid-19, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The ending of mandatory mask-wearing could increase bullying of vulnerable children who still need to wear them, a paediatrician has warned.

New data shows 553 children, aged under 14, were admitted to hospitals since the start of January with Covid-19.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has advised the Government that masks should no longer be compulsory in schools or public transport, sparking concerns that those who continue to rely on them for protection will be isolated from others. 

Dr Liqa ur Rehman, a senior paediatric registrar with the SAOLTA hospital group, covering the west and northwest of the country, said the pandemic is not over for everyone yet.

“This thing is still ongoing. Now people are discouraging masks in children, but this is the only protection against harm left, especially for vulnerable children,” he said.

He said, even as an adult, he has experienced bullying for wearing masks in situations where some people were not.

“Lifting the mask-wearing could at the same time trigger social bullying of children,” he said. 

We need to have a positive message going out into the community. The vulnerable and high-risk people could be bullied, and this is not a good thing.

He said parents will have to make individual decisions.

“Children are less protected due to unavailability of the vaccine, and now low uptake of the vaccine,” he said. 

“We need to keep this in mind because this is not a common cold.” 

Tipperary mother Anita Byrne is also worried about potential discrimination.

“You could have stigma with children in a classroom if 75% are now not going to be wearing masks, particularly in primary school where children are very much 'monkey-see-monkey-do',” she said.

The bus taking her nine-year-old son to school has required masks since 2020, and she expects this to continue for now.

“I’d be very concerned about the fact there are so many children unvaccinated, and vulnerable children who are now going to be exposed more to Covid,” she said.

Between February 2020 and December 31 last year, there were 472 children aged under five in hospitals with Covid-19, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. 

So far this year, there were 304 children admitted to hospitals in the age category.

Up to Wednesday, 12.9% of children aged five to 11 were fully vaccinated, with 22.8% having their first dose, the HSE said.