Back-to-school COVID-19 packs sent to students in the Australian state of Tasmania have been mocked after elementary school children were sent comically large adult surgical masks.
Parents have been assured that smaller sizes would be available at schools upon request after many took to social media, posting pictures of the oversize masks covering the entire faces of young children.
“A perfect fit, protects the nose, mouth, eyes and probably the ears too,” one person wrote on social media.
“My granddaughter in grade 5 got adult masks too, and how long are five masks going to last?” another person wrote. “It’s a joke really.”
Amy Pennicott said that she had tried an adult mask on her young child, which was unfeasible for her to wear in or outside of the classroom.
“My daughter is 10, 11 in June, and it’s clearly way too big,” she said. “The adult masks definitely are not alright for children.”
A spokesperson from the Tasmania Department of Education confirmed that one size of surgical masks — the adult size — was included in the student’s COVID-19 care packs distributed to families ahead of their return to school.
“However, where that size of mask does not fit the student at primary school, there is a supply of smaller masks available at schools to ensure they are accessible for all students who want to wear them given they are not mandatory,” the spokesperson said. “While mask wearing is not mandatory in primary schools, primary schools across Tasmania have received a supply of more than 600,000 junior surgical masks if a child chooses to wear one and does not have their own.”
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