State Health Officials Issue Statement Reaffirming COVID-19 Approach in Schools

On Wednesday, California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly and California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón issued a joint statement reaffirming the state’s approach to preventing COVID-19 in schools and protecting students’ health by continuing the state’s successful masking requirements in K-12 settings.

The joint statement cautions against relaxing masking requirements in schools and calls for ongoing vigilance against COVID-19. The state will continue to maintain universal indoor mask mandates in K-12 schools and will continue to monitor conditions through the winter. According to Drs. Ghaly and Aragón, the state’s current strategy “represents the best path for schools to protect children and school staff, ensuring that classrooms remain safe spaces for learning, and children are provided every opportunity to be successful.”

The full statement from the state health officials is available here.