California requires masks in schools despite CDC guidelines

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State health officials announced Friday that California will continue to require masks in schools, even though federal health authorities issued new guidelines saying vaccinated students and teachers no longer need to wear masks inside campus buildings.

“Concealment is a simple, effective intervention that does not interfere with providing complete personalized instruction,” said Mark Galle, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. “At the start of the new year, students should be able to go to school without worrying about whether they will feel different or alone by being vaccinated or not – treating all children the same will support a calm and supportive school environment.”

Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also said that schools should separate desks by three feet, is not a mandate. CDC guidelines said prevention strategies, including indoor concealment, should be used when it is not possible to maintain a distance of at least three feet in the classroom.

Not all school facilities in the state can accommodate physical distancing and “we will align with the CDC by implementing multiple layers of mitigation strategies, including ongoing concealment and robust testing capacity,” Ghaly said. The California Department of Public Health said the state’s guidance would also “ensure that all children are treated the same.”

As the highly contagious delta coronavirus continues to spread across the state, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health previously recommended that all residents wear masks in public indoor spaces — regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Here’s what parents and educators need to know:

Can parents demand the right for their children to go to school without masks? Not in most situations in California. There are some children with disabilities who cannot handle masks or cannot wear masks safely. These parents already have the right to seek accommodation that includes not wearing a mask.

What is the situation in the Los Angeles Unified School District? All students, teachers and staff have been required to wear masks on campus even if they have been vaccinated. This policy has been in place since schools began reopening in April. The only exceptions are for students or others who have special health or physical reasons and are unable to wear a mask.

Will California children have to be vaccinated to go to school in person? There is currently no approved vaccine for emergency use in children under 12 years of age, and it is not clear when that will change. Even after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved one or more of the COVID-19 vaccines for younger children, it may take several months — or even years — for vaccines to gain full approval in this age group. Once vaccinations receive full federal approval, they can become mandatory for nearly all students.

Should students stay three or six feet apart? The rules vary from region to region in California.

The CDC said Friday that schools should continue to place students — and their desks — three feet apart in classrooms, and no distancing is required between fully vaccinated students or staff. In LAUSD, the second largest school district in the country, offices are three feet apart and are expected to remain that way into the fall.

The CDC does not consider any separation as needed among vaccinated children. In practice, it can be difficult to have different rules and procedures for different students. In middle schools, for example, some students will be eligible for shots and some will not. But even in high schools, not every student will be vaccinated.

Should masks be worn outdoors by unvaccinated people in schools? Schools generally do not require masks in recess or in most other outdoor situations. However, unvaccinated people are advised to wear masks if they are in a crowd for an extended period of time, such as in the stands at a football game.

Are other school safety measures still needed? Ventilation and hand washing are still important. Students and staff should also stay home when they are sick.

Testing for infection remains an important way to prevent outbreaks. But the CDC said Friday that fully vaccinated people do not need to participate in such screening.

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