New mask policy takes effect in the School District of Philadelphia
Cloth masks alone will no longer be acceptable.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A new mask policy takes effect Monday in the School District of Philadelphia.
Based on recent guidance from the CDC, school officials are recommending students, faculty and staff to ditch cloth masks and choose from these options:
1. Three-ply surgical masks
2. KN-95 masks or
3. N-95 respirators
Temple Health Dr. Delana Wardlaw says she thinks this is an appropriate step.
"We do know with this omicron variant there were a large number of children affected and we still know there is a large percentage of children under 12 that are not vaccinated," Dr. Wardlaw said.
The school district says those who insist on wearing a cloth mask should double-up with a three-ply disposable mask, which the district provides.
Starting February 7, all district schools and offices will be provided a supply of adult KN95 masks to distribute to staff who may want them.
"We've done a very effective job in keeping the transmission rate in our schools down but also keeping our staff and students safe so we can have in-person learning," said district spokesperson Monica Lewis.
Temple University also adopted a similar mask policy as the Philadelphia School District.
