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As of March 11, schools in California will be dropping mask mandates for indoor settings. After a long-debate and anticipated change as the area continues its consistent exposure to the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Although the announcement made on Monday is the most recent change to lift the restriction of California’s formerly stern mask policies, it is possible that it will be the biggest change in the near term. This change allows possibly millions of children in grades K-12 who attend in-person schools to go maskless inside the school again.
California officials have stated that face coverings will be recommended but will not be required for individuals that are unvaccinated in many indoor locations as of Tuesday.
“Today is an important day for California, one that is driven by the data and the science,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health, and human services secretary.
However, he also stated at the time of a briefing, the new guidance may “be received with some trepidation, and acknowledging that and giving communities time and space to make decisions based on the thoughtful listening that I know will occur is very important,” according to Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, and Howard Blume with the Los Angeles Times.
All Districts Have the Right to Choose
With the action being taken by the state, local officials retain the choice to enforce face-covering rules if they feel it is necessary. There are over 1,000 districts that are creating their own policies on when and if they will remove face-covering mandates.
The state’s largest school system, Los Angeles Unified, seems to be in agreement with teachers and staff in requiring the use of face masks until this school year ends. The district has the option to bring them back if they see fit.
Whether or not to send students to school with or without face coverings is a personal belief more than a policy. There have been heated online discussions and protests, in-person meetings with the school board and school campuses that show parents who are in the state of California are ready to be done with the mandatory masking of their children, however, it is still unclear. The uncertainty comes from a poll taken in California that consisted of 9,000 votes showing that two-thirds of voters, including parents, support the mask mandate for K-12. However, on March 11, schools will drop all mask mandates and it will be a choice.
Parents’ Voice and Opinions
“I think the masks should be optional tomorrow on March 1st,” said Megan Bacigalupi, an Oakland parent who leads the group CA Parent Power. “I don’t understand the rationale of a further delay of another two weeks.”
Scott Davison, a parent in San Diego County states that he should be happy, but he is frustrated as they have been fighting for months. He feels that the California Teachers Association and politics are what is holding up his son from getting his normal school year back.
Parents and students all across the state have been demanding that steps to drop the mask mandate be taken sooner than March 11. Some of the districts in California have already dropped the face-covering mandate.
Regardless, the choice to move forward with removing the mandate on face coverings, while still strongly recommending them, marks the progress the state of California has created to help manage the COVID-19 pandemic. It also shows a bigger change in the state’s thought process as COVID-19 moves from a state of emergency to a minor inconvenience that could be managed.
Governor Gavin Newsom stated on Monday that the state will continue to change its policies regarding science and new data and will apply what they have learned in the last two years to guide their way of responding to the Coronavirus. He also states that masks work and are effective for lowering the spread of COVID-19, as well as variants that could arise in the future, especially when the rates of transmission are higher. He states that they are unable to see the future of COVID-19, but they can prepare for it better and will be continuing to take the scientific steps to keep the state of California moving forward.
The States Keeping Mandates
Prior to the announcement made on Monday, Hawaii and California were by themselves in continuing indoor face-coverings in schools. The removal of the face-covering mandates has not been completed in five other states. Included in those states are Oregon and Washington. On Monday, the governors of those states joined Newsom and announced the updated face-covering rules.
The state’s move earlier in the month to take away the universal inside mask mandate that was in place to block the charge of the Omicron variant was widely spread. Some cities and counties decided not to follow the lead immediately and allow people who are vaccinated to go without face coverings inside public settings.
On Friday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention lowered its mandate regarding when public people should wear face coverings inside a public setting. They moved away from a system focused on COVID-19 cases and positive testing rates to a criterion that looks at how the Coronavirus affects hospitals.
Written by Marrissa Kay
Edited by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Los Angeles Times: California to lift school mask mandate after March 11; by Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Howard Blume
Cal Matters: California mask mandate for schools to end after March 11; By Joe Hong
San Diego Union-Tribune: California to lift school mask mandate after March 11; by Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Howard Blume
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Pedro Szekely’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Courtesy of Outtacontext’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License