translated from Spanish: WHO recommends the use of a mask for children aged 12 and over

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children over the age of 11 wear face masks in the same conditions as adults, such as in crowded environments, according to a guidance paper published on Friday.” Advice on the use of masks in children and adolescents aged 12 and over should follow WHO recommendations for the use of masks in adults and/or national guidelines on adult masks,” according to the document.” Even when national guidelines are applied, additional considerations should be specified for special environments such as schools, during sport or for children with disabilities,” the document adds. In this case, WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) do not generally recommend the use of masks among 6- and 11-year-olds, but it does call for consideration in areas with “intense virus transmission” or in special settings such as schools. However, both agencies explain that there are situations where masks “can significantly interfere with the learning process and have a negative impact on critical school activities.” Therefore, they understand that younger children should not be forced to wear masks, mainly because they cannot wear them and take them off correctly on their own, according to the document that was published on Friday night. In fact, they recommend that children up to five years old who, for whatever reason, have a mask on, be under constant supervision.” Children should also be heard regarding their perceptions and any concerns about the use of a mask,” they have indicated in the document, which keeps fabric face masks as the best facial protection option on understanding that transparent visors “offer less protection”. On the incidence of the virus among young people, WHO states that “based on limited available evidence, young children may have a lower susceptibility to infection compared to adults,” but points out that “available data suggest that this may vary by age among children”So, “transmission studies suggest that older children (e.g. adolescents) may play a more active role in transmission than children.”

Original source in Spanish