US Parents Back Student Mask Mandate, Less Supportive Of Vaccine Requirements - Poll

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2021) A majority of US parents of schoolgoing children this fall want all teachers and students to wear facemasks if they remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, while less than half favor a vaccine mandate for their children to return to classrooms, according to a Gallup poll released on Tuesday.

"Two-thirds of U.S. adults and 60% of K-12 parents support mask mandates for unvaccinated teachers and staff members. A slightly lower percentage of U.S. adults (64%) and 57% of parents of school-aged children favor mask mandates for unvaccinated students," a press release explaining the poll said.

Regarding COVID-19 vaccine requirements, a full 60% of Americans, but less than half of K-12 parents, currently think high school (47%) or middle school students (43%) should have to be vaccinated to attend school, the release said.

COVID-19 vaccine approval is currently limited to children age 12 and above, which coincides with the year when many, if not most, US children, begin middle school.

The survey did not include questions about face-mask mandates for vaccinated students and teachers, with the release noting that the July 19-26 poll coincided with the emergence of new recommendations that teachers and students wear facemasks regardless of vaccination status, the release said.

In addition to universal masking recommendations for all teachers and students, the American academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), continue to advise that all eligible Americans get a COVID-19 vaccine, the release added.

The poll was conducted from a web survey with participants in a 100,000 member panel that was randomly chosen to be representative of the entire US population, according to the release.