According to USA Today, two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studies released on September 24, 2021 found that COVID-19 outbreaks and pediatric cases were more common when schools did not mandate masks.

One study of about 1,000 schools in two Arizona counties showed schools without mask mandates were 3.5 times more likely to have outbreaks than schools that started the year with a mask mandate. Another study of hundreds of U.S. counties found an increased rate of pediatric COVID-19 cases in areas where schools didn’t have mask mandates.

The findings support the assertion that: masks provide instantaneous protection from infection and, in combination with other prevention strategies, including vaccination, are critical in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

A third study revealed that, thus far this school year, COVID-19 Outbreaks have resulted in nearly 2,000 school closures.

For more from USA Today, click here.