For the past two weeks I have been submitting the same question to the Brighton Central School District: "Will my child who has asthma, be required to wear a mask during gym"?
On Wednesday night my question was finally answered. The Superintendent said yes, face coverings are now a part of the student code of conduct and must be properly worn at all times, even during gym. The only exception is for students that have a note from a doctor stating that the child cannot tolerate wearing a face covering for medical reasons. But he said those exemptions will be "few and far between".
According to the World Health Organization, not even a "healthy" person should wear a mask while exercising.
The following statement and video comes from the World Health Organization website:
People should NOT wear masks when exercising, as masks may reduce the ability to breathe comfortably.
Sweat can make the mask become wet more quickly which makes it difficult to breathe and promotes the growth of microorganisms. The important preventive measure during exercise is to maintain physical distance of at least one meter from others.
The following statements found on the CDC website also discourage the use of masks while swimming, running and other activities that may cause the mask to get wet.
CDC recognizes that wearing masks may not be possible in every situation or for some people. In some situations, wearing a mask may exacerbate a physical or mental health condition, lead to a medical emergency, or introduce significant safety concerns.
People should not wear masks while engaged in activities that may cause the mask to become wet, like when swimming at the beach or pool. A wet mask may make it difficult to breathe.
People who are engaged in high intensity activities, like running, may not be able to wear a mask if it causes difficulty breathing. If unable to wear a mask, consider conducting the activity in a location with greater ventilation and air exchange (for instance, outdoors versus indoors) and where it is possible to maintain physical distance from others.
As a reminder, we do ask that you arrive at Hustle for Health Outdoor class wearing a mask.
However once you find your socially distant dance space, you are encouraged to take it off and drink plenty of water.
We want you to have access to as much oxygen as possible!