COLUMBUS – The state’s updated recommendations for COVID-19 precautions in schools released Tuesday were no surprise: vaccinations, masks, social distance and other familiar measures.
The guidance from the Ohio Department of Health strongly recommends coronavirus vaccinations for staff and eligible students and facial coverings for individuals who are not yet fully vaccinated.
“While there are no mandates associated with this guidance, we believe that the recommendations we are issuing are essential to the health of Ohio’s youth and the success of the coming school year. The safety of Ohio’s children is paramount, and the preventive measures that schools take will help protect Ohio’s students,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said at a news conference Monday.
The state also “strongly” recommends layering prevention measures, such as good ventilation, regular cleaning, handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick.
Franklin County Public Health and Columbus Public Health issue a joint statement Wednesday strongly recommending schools follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors at schools nationwide, regardless of vaccination status.
The Ohio Education Association also endorsed the layered protection strategy of masks, distancing, hand-washing and vaccinations.
Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest public school district, announced last week that students, staff, and visitors will be required to wear masks inside buildings and on school buses for at least the beginning of the school year.
The health department reported 1,317 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, more than twice the 21-day average and the number of cases per 100,000 residents has ballooned to 45.8.
The CDC is changing course on some mask guidelines, announcing Tuesday that even vaccinated people should return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
The recommendations cited new information about the ability of the delta variant to spread among vaccinated people.
In other developments, President Joe Biden said his administration is considering requiring all federal workers to get vaccinated. He dismissed concerns that the new masking guidance could invite confusion.