On July 1, 2020, the Secretary of Health issued an Order requiring all individuals to wear a face covering when they leave their homes. The order outlines situations when a face covering must be worn and includes limited exceptions (see Section 3 of the Order). The Secretary issued this Order to continue to protect all in the Commonwealth from the spread of COVID-19, mindful of the need to slow the increase in the number of cases as the Commonwealth reopens and in order to avoid the resurgence that is overwhelming the health care systems and public health systems in other states that have been less successful in reopening than the Commonwealth.
This Order applies to any individual aged two and older whenever outside the home, including while in school entities, including public K-12 schools, brick and mortar and cyber charter schools, private and parochial schools, career and technical centers, and intermediate units; educational programming for students in non-educational placements such as residential settings (boarding schools), residential facilities, detention centers, and hospital settings; PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start Programs and Preschool Early Intervention programs; Private Academic Nursery Schools and locally-funded prekindergarten activities.
For the safety of students, staff and families, and to avoid community spread of COVID-19, students and staff are considered to be members of the public who are congregating in indoor locations. As such, they are required to adhere to this Order. The Order is effective immediately and applies to all children aged two and older.
LEA 's Health and Safety Plans must reflect this Order. Understanding the volatility and uncertainty of the COVID-19 virus, plans should be flexible enough to contemplate any future change in conditions. If an LEA's needs to update their original plan, revised plan approval, if necessary, should occur at the next board meeting.
The Order was effective July 1, 2020 and will remain in effect until the Secretary of Health determines the public health risk is sufficiently reduced so that face coverings are no longer necessary as a widely utilized public health tool.
"Face covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is wrapped around the lower face. A "face covering" can be made of a variety of synthetic or natural fabrics, including cotton, silk, or linen, and, for the purposes of the Order, can include a plastic face shield that covers the nose and mouth. "Face coverings" may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or improvised from household items, including but not limited to, scarves, bandanas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels. While procedural and surgical masks intended for health care providers and first responders, such as N95 respirators, would meet these requirements, these specialized masks should be reserved for appropriate occupational and health care settings.
What is the local policy/procedure regarding face coverings for staff?
What is the policy/procedure for students?
PDE Health and Safety Plan Requirements
Plan must include the following:
Guidelines on the use of face coverings (masks or face shields) by all staff;
Guidelines on the use of face coverings (masks or face shields) for older students, as appropriate.
Teach and reinforce use of face coverings among all staff. Face coverings may be challenging for students (especially younger students or students with special needs) to wear in all-day settings such as school. See CDC document for further considerations. The DOH has published Guidance on Homemade Masks During COVID-19.
Provide protective face coverings (masks or face shields) to adults, including visiting adults.
Purchase adequate face coverings and other personal protective equipment as appropriate and carefully monitor inventory. (See Pennsylvania COVID-19 PPE & Supplies Business-2-Business (B2B) Interchange Directory.)
Determine an appropriate cleaning or replacement protocols for masks.
Consider whether mask protocols should change during high temperatures.
PDE Health and Safety Plan Requirements
Plan may also include the following to the extent possible:
Guidelines on the use of face coverings (masks or face shields) by staff and students.
Teach and reinforce use of face coverings among all staff. Face coverings may be challenging for students (especially younger students or students with special needs) to wear in all-day settings such as school. See CDC document for further considerations. The DOH has published Guidance on Homemade Masks During COVID-19.