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The Alameda County Public Health Department on Thursday announced that it will align with the state’s updated masking policy for schools, which includes a move from requiring masks to strongly recommending them after March 11.
“Cases are declining to near pre-surge levels everywhere, and this is the right time to move face masking guidance from requirement to recommendation in most settings,” said county health officer Dr. Nicholas Moss in a statement.
However, he reiterated that this change does not signify the end of the pandemic. “COVID will be with us perhaps forever, and masks are tools we can depend on for protection. New surges that threaten public health and the lives of vulnerable residents may call for quick and assertive action and a new requirement to mask,” he said.
Pleasanton, Livermore Valley and Dublin school districts distributed updated announcements to their campus communities about the forthcoming changes to masking policies, confirming that they will be adopting the guidelines supported by the state and county.
“We know that the pandemic is not over, and that families will make different decisions about whether their students will continue to wear masks in the classroom,” Pleasanton Unified School District officials said in their statement to families.
“Regardless of whether a student or teacher is wearing a mask or not, it is important that each of us lead with kindness and tolerance regardless of one’s decision and the many potential reasons behind them. We must continue to lead as a community of character, and there will be zero tolerance for unkindness or exclusion related to mask wearing,” PUSD added.
The Livermore Valley and Dublin districts’ statements shared similar sentiments about respecting differing choices about masking. LVJUSD also noted in its message that students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors at school and for after-school events on March 11. The first day of in-class instruction with strongly recommended, but optional masking will be the following Monday, March 14.
Staff is required to follow the requirements of the California Division of Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), which is also aligning with the state and county guidance.
“We are listening and finding additional ways to engage residents about their experience with COVID and what they need to be, and feel, healthy as conditions improve,” Moss said. “These decisions are about science and data, but they are also about the values we hold as one of the most diverse counties in the country. We are grateful our residents have embraced public health throughout the pandemic,” he added.
County officials said that masks are still required for everyone in some settings like health care and long-term care facilities, on public transit, and congregate settings like correctional facilities and shelters. Businesses and workplaces can choose to maintain masking requirements for everyone at least 2 years of age.
Masks must still be worn during the 10 days after known exposure to COVID-19 and for 10 days after infection if completing a shortened isolation.
This article is full of scary snippets, and if you have gone full blown Mass Formation Psychosis, the world can seem a scary place. Why is it that
California is always the last to get the memo? This thing is over. Let your people go free. You keep talking about the masks and claim your science-ism, but fail to show the proof. Where a mask if it makes you feel ‘safe,’ but let the children breath.
We are going to need brave kids to fight all the wars the Democrats want to participate in, because they certainly won’t be sending theirs.
Are you kidding me? No proof on benefits of mask? Science-ism? Sounds like living in another reality! Like Russians getting fed misinformation that their soldiers are helping Ukrainian people. NO, wake up, masks protect people from respiratory diseases and Russian soldiers are killing Ukrainian women and children.