For every issue, the Crusader asks several Bonita Vista High (BVH) teachers a question about a topic that is valuable to the BVH community. With the rise of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, BVH advised students and staff to double mask in order to protect themselves from the spread of the virus.  We decided to ask teachers if they decided to take that recommendation from the school and why they made that choice. 

“I’m not [wearing] two masks but I’m wearing an N95, so it protects [me from] 95 percent of virus particles. Unfortunately, I see students wear cloth masks or masks that [don’t] fully [cover] their face, which is a concern for me. My own children wear N95 masks, I wear N95, and so does my wife.”

“As long as I am wearing a K95 or an N95, I am not choosing to wear two masks because the guidance [from the Center for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC)] shows you do not need to. I would recommend students to wear two masks if they do not have an N95 or K95 mask.”

“I’m not double masking. I’m using a single mask and the reason I am doing so is from what I’ve read online, it’s not really proven to be that much more effective. There has been research [on it] and I think double masking is uncomfortable. Speaking in class with the mask on makes it harder to breathe.” 

“700, 350, 642 new cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of Thursday, Jan. 20. One in five people are affected, so wear a mask! Double-mask just to be safe. When I see someone without their mask on I throw it [COVID-19 stuffed animal] at them.”