As the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic approaches, the adaptive nature of humans is becoming more clear. But while social distancing and face masks have become a societal norm, the effects of covered faces, especially from a young child’s perspective, must be considered.
With that in mind, the Early Learning Coalition of Marion County (ELCMC) on Thursday accepted 2,592 ClearMasks at coalition headquarters in Ocala. The ClearMasks allow children to see the faces of their caregivers, providing visual communication and cues that experts say are necessary for early brain development and language/social skills.
The masks will be distributed to approximately 160 local early learning centers. The $7,500 investment to purchase the masks is a collaboration of Faces Are Essential/FAIMH (an initiative of the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health) in conjunction with the Florida District of Kiwanis, the Kiwanis Club of Ocala and the ELCMC.