New Yorkers Want Students To Wear Masks This Year: Patch Survey

NEW YORK, NY — With the summer winding down, the school year right around the corner and the Delta variant still causing COVID-19 case counts to go up, New York City public school students are gearing up to return to the classroom in a matter of days.

A Patch survey found that 73 percent of responders believe that K-12 students should be required to use masks indoors this fall in NYC.

Similarly, 75 percent of responders said that teachers and school staff should be required to wear masks within the school.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has continued to reiterate there will be no option for virtual learning this school year and kids will have to be back in the classrooms to learn.

The current recommendation from the CDC is that children age 12 and up should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but there isn't yet advice on younger age groups.

In terms of vaccine requirements, 66 percent of respondents said that children 12 and up in the New York City public school system should be required to get vaccinated to attend school, while 27 percent said they shouldn't have to, and 7 percent said they weren't sure.

A larger number of respondents, 77 percent, said that teachers and school staff should be required to get the vaccine.

More than 450 survey takers shared their thoughts on masks and vaccine mandates in the NYC school system, with most people supporting both the wearing of masks and getting vaccinated against the virus.

"Laws require seat belts and helmets while riding cycles. Science shows they save lives," one responder wrote. "Masks should also be required during pandemics because they save your lives and the lives of OTHERS. Public health should be about taking care of yourself and your communities, not about being selfish."

Just over 88 percent of survey takers said they have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Not everyone was fully in support of students wearing masks, though.

"Schools need to be safe but masks are problematic for young children and for students to hear teachers and participate fully," a survey responder wrote. "Let’s get everyone vaccinated then ditch the masks. Schools already require flu vaccines. I don’t see how this is different."

Around 58 percent – or 300,000 – of NYC's school population of 12 to 17-year-olds are at least partially vaccinated.

The city's 20,000 high school athletes and their coaches have been told they must be vaccinated.

The first day of school in NYC is Sept. 13.

Here are the results of our poll: