The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is highlighting an Arkansas study that compared cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas school districts that required mask mandates with those that did not.
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released Tuesday included a peer-reviewed study evaluating staff and students from grades kindergarten through 12th grade between August and October of 2021. It was conducted in collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Health, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.
Dr. Mark Williams, dean of UAMS' College of Public Health, said the research aimed to understand the efficacy of masks in a places with high transmission rates, like a school setting. With a variety of mask policies in different school districts, there was a broad range of outcomes.
“We used data from the height of the delta surge that occurred at the end of last summer through early fall,” Williams said. “After the schools started, it was observed that this was a natural experiment.”
The study divided Arkansas school districts into three categories: those with full mask requirements, those with partial mask requirements, and those with no mask requirements. Partial mask policies included situational policies, like instances where those who were unvaccinated could choose to not wear a mask or policies that said masks had to be worn in a regular classroom but not gym class.
According to the report, districts that had full mask requirements had 23% fewer COVID-19 cases than those without the requirements. During the study, 26 districts shifted from no mask requirements to a policy that required any kind of mask mandate. Of those 26, all saw a significant decrease in COVID-19 cases.
Williams said he hopes the study will encourage schools to be aware of any future surges in COVID-19 cases and alter policies accordingly.
“One of the, I think, interesting things that perhaps most people have become aware of now is that when surges occur we begin to get indications that the surge is going to happen,” Williams said. “If we can implement policies such as universal mask-wearing in schools, we could actually decrease the spread of viruses.”
He said this could pertain to viruses like the flu. Williams adding that well documented studies in Wales and Japan show shutting down schools for a brief period of time but flu transmission decreases.
“In lieu of closing schools, the other alternative that we have is to have people be masked,” Williams said.
