Earlier this week, The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention altered its masking recommendations citing concern over the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Their updated guidance states that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people should mask indoors in areas with significant community spread. The CDC further suggested that all students, teachers, and staff in K-12 schools wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.
As schools are gearing up to return to in person learning in a few weeks, this new guidance puts administrators, teachers, school staff, students, and parents on alert of new mandates that could be issued by schools in the near future.
However, in response to the new CDC guidelines, Governor Wolf said earlier this week that he has no plans to reimpose any such state-wide measures requiring masks and is continuing to focus on vaccine outreach instead.
What does that mean for schools? Here in PA, most schools and school entities defer to the PA Departments of Education and Health in response to COVID-19, and response to this new guidance will likely be no different. Some schools in PA may require masks upon their return, and some may not. Pennsylvania has a very diverse landscape of rural, urban, and suburban communities, and the spread of the Delta variant in those communities and populations will most likely be the driving factor as to whether schools require masks upon reopening.
Since guidance to COVID-19 and its variants are ever-changing, we will continue to monitor this situation and keep you updated as needed. Any questions or concerns can be directed to the Keystone Teachers Association at info@keyta.org or 717-763-1168.
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