BUCKS COUNTYAugust 31, 2021 – The following statement is attributable to State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10), in response to the order issued today by the Pennsylvania Department of Health mandating masking in K-12 schools:

“The goal we all share is for students and faculty to have a productive and safe in-person school year.  Requiring masks at this time will help achieve that goal.

“Due to increasing COVID-19 case numbers here and the highly contagious Delta variant, the CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. With no vaccines currently approved for children under 12 years of age, our students remain vulnerable to COVID-19.  With a return to in-person instruction, mitigation efforts such as masking will limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep our students, teachers and support staff healthy.

“It is most prudent that we continue to use the mitigation efforts we have seen work against this virus, so that our schools can remain open, and our students and teachers can benefit from in-person learning.  I applaud Governor Wolf and Secretary Beam’s action to keep students, teachers and staff in schools, and to keep Delta out.”

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