Virginia is “strongly” recommending that all elementary students, staff and teachers wear masks indoors this fall.
The guidance from the state health and education departments, which is not binding, recommends requiring masks until “there has been sufficient time to allow for children [under 12] to be fully vaccinated,” the Washington Post reported.
The recommendation comes amid an increase in cases nationally, and a much smaller uptick here in Arlington, fueled by the more contagious Delta variant of the virus.
The latest guidance from Arlington Public Schools suggests masks will be required for everybody inside schools in the fall, as has been the case this summer. But the APS mandates could change in light of the new state guidance, which also recommends that fully vaccinated middle- and high school students be allowed to go maskless inside.
What do you think of local elementary kids wearing masks this fall inside schools?