By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
California education officials announced that schools will require masks be worn indoors in school settings, aligning with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines that state: “When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.”
“The state guidelines strike a fair balance between safety and the need to reopen campuses,” said Edgar Zazueta, senior director of policy and government relations for the Association of California School Administrators. “Requiring masks can help compensate for the loss of social-distance rules. All things considered, it’s a fair trade-off. There will undoubtedly be many families who are upset the state is continuing the mask mandate, but other families will be relieved.”
In addition, every California school has access to free testing.
“We applaud the CDC’s commitment to ensuring that schools are fully, safely opened for in-person instruction. Given California’s science-based approach and the fact that the state’s school facilities can’t accommodate physical distancing, we will align with the CDC by implementing multiple layers of mitigation strategies, including continued masking and robust testing capacity,” said California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Masking is a simple and effective intervention that does not interfere with offering full in-person instruction. At the outset of the new year, students should be able to walk into school without worrying about whether they will feel different or singled out for being vaccinated or unvaccinated – treating all kids the same will support a calm and supportive school environment.”
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