Philly Archdiocese Requiring Masks In All Schools

Philadelphia PA

25 August, 2021

11:35 AM

Description

PHILADELPHIA — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has announced all students, faculty, staff and visitors must wear masks when inside its schools. The mandate applies to all elementary, secondary, and special education schools in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, and Chester County. The decision comes as the coronavirus still poses a threat to public health and the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads through the region. Masks will not be required when eating or in outdoor settings, as well as a few other indoor exemptions. "We realize that this may be difficult for our school families, however we are committed to our students' academic, faith, social, and emotional development," a spokesperson told Patch in an email. "Please be assured that we are doing our best to meet the varied needs. We remain grateful to local health officials as well as school administrators, faculty, staff, and families for working with us as partners in school safety during these uncertain times." The mask policy will be reviewed every two weeks based on the level of community transmission. That mar vary county to county "As with last year, plans will remain nimble pending the evolving pandemic landscape," the spokesman said. "Flexibility and parent partnership will be key. Our goals remain to provide a safe learning environment while delivering a high quality Catholic education."