Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone is doing well. I want to share some updated protocols with you.
In addition to the CDC revisions, Chester County Health Department (CCHD) also made recommendations regarding the types of masks that are most suited to fighting the current variant, Omicron. I saw very recently that the CDC is considering the same recommendations.
CCHD now recommends only 2 types of masks for protection against Omicron. They indicated that surgical and KN95 masks are the two safest masks to wear (see images below). CCHD further articulated that they do not recommend cloth masks. Cloth masks are no longer an approved mask for staff at VFES and The Vanguard School during this stage of the virus due to their loose fit and the fact that the Omicron variant is a virus that lodges in the nasal cavities, consequently, it is important that the mask fits snugly around the nose and mouth.
We are asking families to please try to send your student into school with one of the recommended masks (surgical or KN95). We realize that for some of you that is not an easy request. Therefore, ultimately we will not mandate these masks, but seek your help and support in sending your student to school wearing either a surgical mask or a KN95 mask. If your student arrives without one of these masks, our educators may attempt to encourage him/her to wear the more secure mask. However, we all know our students have sensory issues and other behaviors that may preclude them from willingly choosing to wear one of the two approved masks.
As always, this change in approved masks is based on our efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy. We are happy to have our Middle School and High School students and educators back on campus starting today after a brief transition to remote instruction. If something as simple as what type of mask students and staff are wearing will assist us in staying in-person and on campus, I am hopeful everyone will do what they can to encourage our students to wear one of the two masks.
