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Michigan Health Department Updates Mask Guidelines For Schools Following CDC Recommendations

children wearing face masks in school
photo courtesy of Canva
On August 4, the department said it's recommending, but not mandating, that all students, faculty and staff wear a mask inside school buildings regardless of whether they've been vaccinated.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is updating its guidelines for masking in school buildings.

On August 4, the department said it's recommending, but not mandating, that all students, faculty and staff wear a mask inside school buildings regardless of whether they've been vaccinated.

The revisions are in line with those made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on July 27.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun is the chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS.

"We are committed to ensuring Michigan students and educators are safe in the classroom, including those who may not yet be vaccinated," she said in a press release.

"MDHHS is issuing this guidance to help protect Michiganders of all ages. We continue to urge all eligible residents to get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible as it is our best defense against the virus and the way we are going to end this pandemic," Khaldun said.

TheAssociated Press reported on August 4 that Michigan’s weekly number of people getting an initial COVID-19 shot has risen for the third straight week.

That's after having consistently dropped for two months.

The recent increase coincides with the spread of the delta variant.

There were about 41,000 first-dose immunizations last week, which is the most since the week of June 13-19.

The full list of recommendations include:

  • Promoting vaccination against COVID-19 for eligible staff and students.
  • Consistent and correct mask use
    1. CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all educators, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
    2. CDC’s order requiresall persons – regardless of vaccination status – wear masks on public transportation, including school buses.
  • Physical distancing CDC recommends schools maintain at least three feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by students, teachers and staff, regardless of vaccination status. When it is not possible to maintain a three-foot physical distance, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking, screening testing, cohorting, and improved ventilation to help reduce transmission risk.
  • Screening testing
  • Ventilation
  • Handwashing and respiratory etiquette:
  • Staying home when sick and getting tested

For vaccine, information visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.

Megan Schellong hosted and produced Morning Edition on WKAR from 2021 to 2024.
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