Completely Taking Off Outside... Will Indoor Mask Mandate for Infants and Toddlers Be Lifted?

Negative Impact of Mask Wearing on Infant Development
Should Implement 'Temporary Lift' Instead of Gradual
"Ultimately Moving Toward Mask Mandate Removal"

Concerns have been raised about the potential negative effects during early childhood, a critical period for language acquisition and emotional sensitivity, leading to calls for lifting the indoor mask-wearing mandate for young children. The photo is unrelated to the specific content of the article. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] Following the complete lifting of the outdoor mask mandate, the debate over indoor mask-wearing continues. There are calls to prioritize lifting the indoor mask mandate for infants and toddlers. While the government has yet to present specific measures on this matter, health authorities maintain that the mandate should be 'temporarily lifted' rather than phased out.

On the 29th of last month, the People Power Party requested the government to consider lifting the indoor mask mandate for infants and toddlers during a party-government council meeting. Government officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency attended the meeting held at the National Assembly that morning. Following the meeting, Policy Committee Chairperson Seong Il-jong stated in a briefing that they requested four items from the government, including the cessation of indoor mask-wearing for infants and toddlers and the abolition of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests after overseas arrivals.

Chairperson Seong said, "We asked the government to consult with experts on whether it is possible to stop indoor mask-wearing as soon as possible, starting with daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools." He added, "For infants and toddlers attending daycare centers and kindergartens, as well as elementary school students, wearing masks indoors poses problems for language development," explaining, "While it may be difficult immediately, we requested that this be considered gradually."

The necessity of lifting the indoor mask mandate for infants and toddlers is also being raised among medical and child development experts, due to concerns about significant adverse effects during the sensitive period of language acquisition and emotional development.

Professor Jung Jae-hoon of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine stated on the 19th during CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "I believe the mask mandate for infants and toddlers should be lifted first." Professor Jung said, "We are hearing from education field experts that many problems are arising in children's education, especially in language and facial expressions," adding, "When weighing the pros and cons of mask-wearing, the cons may outweigh the pros for children."

The Seoul Childcare Special Advisory Group, composed of medical and child experts, also stated in April, "The biggest victims of COVID-19 are infants and toddlers," and emphasized, "Due to the lack of interactive and experiential activities while wearing masks, there is a very high concern about delayed brain development, and urgent measures are needed."

The quarantine authorities have stated that they are aware of the concerns being raised, but no concrete measures have been announced yet. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Concerns that mask-wearing negatively affects infant and toddler development have been continuously raised. According to a survey conducted in May last year by 'Education Concern-Free World' and Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Chun-sook targeting directors, teachers, and parents of public daycare centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, 74.9% of directors and teachers responded that mask use reduced opportunities for language exposure and development. Half of the parents (52.7%) also reported that masks reduced opportunities for language development.

In response to these concerns, some local governments have distributed 'transparent masks' to child education institutions. Seoul City supported 'Seoul-style transparent masks' that reveal mouth shapes to daycare centers in June.

As calls to lift the indoor mask mandate starting with infants and toddlers continue, health authorities have acknowledged the concerns raised. Park Hye-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters' support team, said at a briefing on the 20th, "We are fully aware of issues related to emotional, language, and social development side effects."

However, no specific measures have been announced yet. If the mask mandate is lifted based on age, there may be concerns that the effectiveness could decrease in facilities where children of different ages and adult teachers coexist. If the decision is based on facilities, issues of fairness between facilities may arise, potentially causing confusion.

The quarantine authorities expressed the opinion that the indoor mask-wearing mandate should be "temporarily lifted" rather than phased out. The photo is unrelated to the specific content of the article. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Health authorities have expressed the opinion that the indoor mask mandate should be 'temporarily lifted' rather than phased out. On the 26th, Jeong Ki-seok, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' COVID-19 Special Response Team, said at a briefing, "There are opinions that infants and toddlers should remove masks first due to language development, but language development is also important for middle and high school students and continues through university," adding, "There could be confusion such as why children can remove masks but adults cannot." He emphasized, "It is much less confusing to set a specific point in time and lift the indoor mask mandate all at once."

Director A, who has operated a daycare center for 20 years, explained, "Although children over 24 months are eligible for vaccination, most do not receive it," adding, "Mask-wearing for COVID-19 prevention is more necessary for this age group than others." He emphasized, "Removing masks helps children in terms of interaction," concluding, "Ultimately, moving toward lifting the mask mandate is desirable."