The Philadelphia School District will maintain mask requirements when face-to-face classes resume for all students and faculty on August 31, although federal guidelines state that people who have been vaccinated do not need to wear masks.

Superintendent William Hayt said the district’s policy is based on U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines It is recommended that people who have not been vaccinated wear masks in public. according to A report from NBC10.

“Until the (CDC) guidelines change, we will still require individuals to wear masks and be tested,” Haite said on Thursday.

Although the COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in adults, children under 12 cannot get it. This means that many students will not be vaccinated after school resumes.

The CDC’s guidelines say: “In indoors and in crowded environments, it is especially important that people who are not fully vaccinated use masks consistently and correctly when physical distance cannot be maintained.”

The CDC updated its guidance for schools last week, recommending that schools reopen in full this fall for face-to-face teaching. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that students should always maintain a distance of three feet between them.

Adults in the school district will undergo rapid testing every week, and 20% of students will be randomly tested every week. This requires parents to submit a consent form.

The district will also Each classroom has air and surface purifiers. According to NASA, the ActivePure technology developed by NASA costs US$4.5 million but is protected by the American Recovery Act. Inquirer.

According to NBC10, Chief Operating Officer Reggie McNeil stated that these machines have been proven to eliminate 99.9% of the airborne COVID-19 virus. When testing in a closed environment, McNeill said that the purifier “inactivated” the virus within three minutes.

“When students resume face-to-face learning on Tuesday, August 31, our families, faculty, staff, and students can be confident that we are taking the necessary steps to prioritize their health and well-being,” said Haite.