Virginia Releases Mask Guidance For 2021-2022 School Year Giving Localities the Final Say
July 21, 2021
Virginia Departments of Health and Education released updated guidance for PreK-12 schools on Wednesday.
Virginia strongly recommends masks for students in elementary schools while it urges masks for unvaccinated middle and high school students and staff.
Schools can decide their own policies, but the state agencies are sharing these recommendations:
Elementary schools should require students, teachers and staff to wear masks indoors with or without a vaccine. This is to ensure safety until the shot will be available for kids under 12 years of age.
Middle and high schools should require students, teachers and staff who are not fully vaccinated to wear a mask indoors.
Consider ‘universal masking’ for specific reasons outlined by the CDC
All schools should be ready to change mask policies as health conditions continue to change over the course of the year.
