MADISON, WI (WSAU-Wisconsin Radio Network) – Many school districts across Wisconsin are still in the process of deciding on mask policies, for when classes start this fall.
Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer with the state Department of Health Services, says the masking recommendation from public health authorities is clear: “our recommendation and that of CDC, and most state public health departments and local health departments, are for masks to be not optional but required for all schools, students and staff when we go back to school.”
The current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control call for masks to be worn by everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in indoor settings. “Masks are a tool that work best when everyone in the environment wears them. So that’s really the strong recommendation from public health, is that we make them required in school settings,” Westergaard said.
While cases of severe coronavirus infection and death in young children do remain rare, those under the age of 12 can spread COVID-19.
New cases are surging in Wisconsin and nationwide, driven by the Delta variant.
