This afternoon, the California Department of Public Health issued a new statewide indoor mask mandate. Starting Dec. 15, face coverings are required while indoors in all public places, regardless of vaccination status. The mandate is scheduled to last at least through Jan. 15, and will be re-evaluated.

While face coverings were already required indoors in K-12 school settings when students are present, this new mandate will have an impact on certain aspects of school operations. For example, under previous rules, a local educational agency could allow employees they have verified as being fully vaccinated to not wear masks while gathered indoors as long as students were not present. That is now explicitly prohibited.

Another open question involves guidance that offered alternatives to masking for students while they are actively participating in indoor athletic programs during periods of heavy exertion or actively using musical instruments that cannot be played while wearing a face cover. Neither the COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year nor the K-12 Schools Guidance 2021-2022 Questions & Answers, which outline the alternatives, have been updated to address the new mandate. We have submitted the question to the Safe Schools for All team and will share additional information as it becomes available.

The San Diego County Office of Education Communications team has crafted a template letter in English and Spanish to help you communicate about the new mandate. Please feel free to customize this letter to fit your community's needs.

The new requirements were positioned as a response to the increase in cases and hospitalizations in the state and the detection of the new omicron variant. Other updated rules include requiring a negative PCR test 48 hours before or an antigen test 24 hours before attending a mega event (1,000 or more people) and asking travelers to get a COVID-19 test three to five days after arrival in California.

This is a fluid situation that continues to evolve. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need additional assistance in the meantime.

email: paul.gothold@sdcoe.net