[ti:WHO Issues Mask-Wearing Guidelines for Children] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]As millions of children around the world are going back to school, [00:04.64]the World Health Organization (WHO) says those aged 6 to 12 [00:09.88]should wear masks to fight the spread of coronavirus. [00:15.32]But children younger than 6 should not wear them. [00:21.72]The WHO announced its guidelines this week [00:26.04]following widespread belief that younger children [00:30.24]are less likely to get infected compared to adults. [00:36.04]The health organization says [00:38.24]the decision to use masks for children between 6 to 12 [00:43.12]should be based on the following conditions: [00:46.44]A child's environment. [00:49.36]Is there widespread transmission in the area where the child lives? [00:54.64]Does the child have contact with high-risk groups [00:59.04]-- such as elderly adults or those with underlying health conditions? [01:06.08]A child's ability to safely and correctly use a mask. [01:11.36]Are adults able to help put on, take off, and safely wear masks? [01:19.04]A child's access to masks. [01:21.88]Are they able to wash them? [01:23.96]Can they get new ones from home, [01:26.44]the school, or childcare facility? [01:31.08]The effects of mask-wearing on a child's learning, [01:35.00]disabilities, or underlying diseases. [01:38.64]In these cases, the decision for a child to wear a mask [01:43.36]should be made with teachers, parents, caregivers, [01:47.68]and/or healthcare professionals. [01:51.72]For those 12 and older, [01:53.68]the WHO says they should wear masks just like adults. [02:00.36]This is especially important in cases where physical distancing [02:05.64]cannot be guaranteed and in areas of high transmission. [02:12.20]The WHO advises children to not wear masks [02:16.60]when playing sports or doing physical activities, [02:20.52]such as running, jumping, or playing on the playground. [02:25.20]Wearing a mask during physical activity may make breathing difficult. [02:32.36]However, when organizing these activities for children, [02:36.20]it is important to follow other public health measures: [02:40.52]maintain at least a 1-meter distance from others, [02:44.88]limit the number of children playing together, [02:48.20]and provide access to hand-washing areas and supplies. [02:54.88]The guidelines come after more than 23 million people have been infected [02:59.96]with COVID-19 along with 810,000 deaths so far. [03:07.36]Those are the numbers reported by Johns Hopkins University. [03:11.76]But experts say the real numbers are even higher. [03:17.00]The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) [03:21.56]also note that no child should be denied access to an education [03:26.76]if a mask is unavailable. [03:30.72]Over the weekend, British medical officials have said, [03:34.80]"Very few, if any, children or teenagers will come to long-term harm [03:41.40]from COVID-19 due solely to attending school.'' [03:47.12]Compare this, they add, to the long-term harm many children [03:52.16]and young people may experience from not attending school. [03:58.08]I'm Anna Matteo. [03:59.68]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM