Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York public school students will be required to continue wearing masks upon returning to classrooms in the fall despite the latest CDC guidelines that vaccinated children and teachers can go mask-free.
'For now we're sticking with the idea that wearing the masks is a smart thing to do in schools,' de Blasio said during his daily press briefing Monday morning. 'We'll keep assessing as we go along, but for now it still makes sense.'
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that schools should fully reopen in the fall.
Official guidance is that masks should be worn indoors by anyone over age two - both pupils and staff - if they are not fully vaccinated - but leaves the option for vaccinated people to go mask-free.
'Students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in the fall 2021 is a priority,' the agency wrote.
The guidance adds: 'In most settings, people who are fully vaccinated can safely resume activities they did before the pandemic.'
The mayor said he has read the CDC recommendation but would prefer to play it safe 'given everything the city's been through.'
'I'm absolutely confident based on this guidance and everything else we've seen that we'll be able to get all our kids back into school in September, but for now sticking with the idea that, you know, wearing the masks is a smart thing to do in schools,' he said. 'We'll keep assessing as we go along. But I think for now it still makes sense.'
Mayor Bill de Blasio taps elbows with a masked New York City Public School student last September
CDC recommendations include all unvaccinated children ages two and older wear masks and that desks are placed at least three feet apart
The CDC said that school districts should use data from their local health departments to determine when to tighten or loosen public health measures.
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said he was still reviewing the new CDC recommendations and would work with the city Department of Education to come up with guidance for schools, parents and students before the
