UP hospitals ask schools to mandate masks - UpperMichigansSource.com

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MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - Hospital beds are filling up with COVID patients across the Upper Peninsula and hospitals want students to mask up.

On Sept. 2, leadership at U.P. hospitals sent a letter to schools saying in part, “Our unequivocal recommendation is for every school district to institute universal mask-wearing requirements for children and staff. Masking in schools will help keep our entire community…safe and healthy”.

UP Health System-Marquette CEO, Gar Atchison, says hospitals are at their brink.

“Our hospital here in Marquette, and really across all the hospitals in the U.P. and unfortunately across the state and much of the country are really at or very near capacity,” said Atchison.

He also says in the last two weeks, the amount of COVID patients at UPHS-Marquette has increased by six times. However, most U.P. schools are not mandating masks.

One of those districts, NICE Community Schools in western Marquette County, says it understands hospitals’ concerns, but this letter doesn’t change its policy.

“Short of the health department deciding to weigh in and making it an order, like other health departments have around the state, we’re going to continue to offer masks as an option,” said Bryan DeAugustine, NICE Community School District Superintendent.

So far, one health department in Upper Michigan has issued a mask mandate for some school grades. The Marquette County Health Department has not. Its health officer saying in part, “We have given information, answered questions, provided guidance to schools and have made numerous recommendations regarding the pandemic during this time. This information is used to help guide the schools with decisions…”

Atchison notes that the hospital isn’t necessarily concerned about a high number of younger patients getting hospitalized with COVID, but is worried about them spreading the virus.

“The fear is that a kid, who may not even be symptomatic, may contact COVID in the schools go to a multi-generational event and potentially infect an unvaccinated more compromised member of the community who would then end up hospitalized,” said Atchison.

Right now, the state health department says it will continue to recommend masks in schools, but not require them.

Copyright 2021 WLUC. All rights reserved.

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UP hospitals ask schools to mandate masks - UpperMichigansSource.com
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