Schoolchildren in California, Oregon and Washington will no longer have to wear masks as part of the new interior mask policies jointly announced by Democratic governors in all three states on Monday.
“With declining case rates and hospitalizations in the west, California, Oregon and Washington are moving together to update their masking guide,” the governors said in a statement. There are more than 7.5 million school-age children in all three states.
The new guide will make facial coverage a recommendation rather than a requirement in most inland California locations starting Tuesday and in schools on March 12, regardless of vaccination status. In Washington and Oregon, all requirements will be lifted on March 12.
Marcio José Sánchez / AP
Federal mask requirements will still apply in high-risk indoor environments, such as public transportation, airports, and taxis. Rules for other high-risk indoor environments may also vary by state.
The two-year milestone comes as much of the country relaxes public health orders, including school mask warrants, in an effort to restore normalcy and boost economic recovery as Americans learn to live. with the virus.
“Today we identified the first case of Oregon’s COVID-19 two years ago,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement. “On the west coast, our communities and economies are connected. Together, as we continue to recover from the rise of Omicron, we will build resilience and prepare for the next variant and the next pandemic.”
Earlier this month, California became the first state to do so formally switch to an endemic coronavirus approach with Governor Gavin Newsom announcing a plan that focuses on prevention and rapid response to outbreaks of mandatory masking and trade closures.
Newsom has come under increasing pressure from Republicans and other critics to ease the school’s mandate, which has become increasingly a polarizing issue among California parents.
While many parents still support the use of masks in schools, others have questioned why it is necessary when they are no longer required to do so in supermarkets and elsewhere. On February 15, California put an end to the indoor mask requirement for vaccinated individuals, but at that time dropped the current standard for unvaccinated and schoolchildren.
Starting Tuesday in California, masks will no longer be necessary, but will be strongly recommended for unvaccinated people in most indoor settings. The same change will apply to K-12 schools and childcare facilities from March 12, according to the statement.
The powerful California Teachers Association said it expected a mixed reaction to the announcement at schools in the country’s most populous state.
“In short, while some students are willing to take off their masks immediately, others are very scared,” CTA President E. Toby Boyd said in a statement. The union has more than 300,000 members. “Change is never easy, and today’s announcement is bound to disrupt and destabilize school communities. As we move into the next phase of coexistence with COVID-19, we must move forward with respect, understanding and care. each other “.
A good handful of California school districts have already dropped mask mandates for students in recent weeks openly challenging the state mandate.
The West Coast announcements come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased the federal mask guide Fridaysaying essentially that most Americans do not need to wear masks to many indoor public places, including schools.
The CDC said on Friday that residents of counties at “medium” risk (about 42.2% of the country’s population) should wear masks if they are at higher risk for serious illnesses, such as those in the immune system. committed. People in counties with a “high” level (about 28.2% of Americans) would still have to wear a mask inside, the CDC said.
The new CDC guideline bases recommendations for restrictions such as masking on a new set of measures, with less focus on positive test results and more on what happens in hospitals. Under the new system, the CDC said more than 70 percent of Americans live in places where coronavirus poses a low or medium threat to hospitals, so they can stop wearing masks in most indoor places.
The CDC had approved universal masking in schools, regardless of virus levels in the community since July, but now recommends masks in schools only in high-risk counties.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said health officials will announce new guidelines for schools next week to give them time to prepare.
“Many companies and families will continue to choose to wear masks,” he said. “As we move into this next phase, we will continue to move forward together with care and caution.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul he said on Sunday that the statewide school mask mandate will end Wednesday.
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