Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Unmasking Begins At Colleges, Schools, Controversially
Inside Higher Ed: Colleges Follow States On Lifting Mask Mandates
In response to mask mandates that have been lifted or will be in the near future, colleges point to a broad mix of pandemic precautions already in place: many have required students and employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while others—their hands tied by state laws barring vaccine mandates—have strongly encouraged immunization against the coronavirus. Additionally, many will continue regular testing for unvaccinated students and employees, alongside other measures. But some in the health field worry that despite other precautions, the masks are coming off too soon.“I think it’s premature to remove the mask requirement at this point in time,” said Gerri Taylor, co-chair of the American College Health Association’s COVID-19 task force. (Moody, 2/15)
KRNV: UNR Students Walk Out To Protest End Of Campus Mask Mandate
UNR students and some faculty walked out Monday to protest the end of the Nevada mask mandate. About 50 students marched from the north end of campus down to the quad, calling on President Brian Sandoval to reinstate the mask requirement on campus. (Margiott, 2/14)
The New York Times: Masks Come Off In More States, But Not Everyone Is Grinning
New York’s governor said on Wednesday that she was ending the state’s indoor masking rules. The governor of Massachusetts announced that face coverings would soon become optional in schools. And by day’s end, the governors of Illinois, Rhode Island and Washington said that they, too, would loosen coronavirus rules. The moves, which came rapid fire, one after another, mean that many of the Covid-19 restrictions that have divided Americans will soon be eliminated in places where politicians have long championed sweeping virus precautions. (Smith and Hubler, 2/9)
CNN: Should Parents Be Worried If Their Child's School No Longer Requires Masks? An Expert Weighs In
Oregon's health department and the governors of Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey have announced when their states will end the school mask mandate. Leaders in other states, cities and counties are also considering when to end required masking as well. The White House is also reported to be discussing an off-ramp for pandemic restrictions, although the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet updated its guidance on masking in schools. Should parents and caregivers be worried if their child's school is no longer going to require masks? What steps can they take if they want to continue reducing their children's risk of contracting Covid-19? How can families weigh the risk of going to school and extracurricular activities? What about kids younger than 5, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated? (Hetter, 2/9)
In related news about mask-wearing in California and Georgia —
Los Angeles Times: California School Mask Mandate Will Stay Through Feb. 28
California will keep its indoor mask mandate for K-12 schools in place at least through the end of the month, the state’s top health official said Monday, even as it moves this week to relax face covering rules in other settings. While other states have announced plans to relax their requirements in the near future, California will reassess conditions Feb. 28 to see whether the promising trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health and human services secretary. (Money, 2/14)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Kemp Urges Georgia Lawmakers To Address Mask Mandates In Schools
Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday revealed details about legislation he backs to bring an end to mask requirements in Georgia schools. Kemp said it’s time that parents decide whether to send their kids to school wearing them, as the COVID-19 pandemic approaches the end of a second year of disrupting schools in the state. “This isn’t going to just end and be gone forever,” he said. “We’re going to have to deal with this but we’ve got tools to deal with it now. This isn’t saying that parents can’t make the decision to mask their kids. It’s just giving parents an opt out.” (Tagami, 2/14)
