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School buses parked at a Chesterfield County school. (Photo: Ian Stewart/VPM News)
The Virginia Department of Education – along with the Virginia Department of Health – released new guidance for pre-K-12 schools Wednesday as students prepare to resume in-person instruction.
A statewide public health order that mandated masking in schools is expiring this Sunday and will not be renewed. This means more flexibility for local school divisions, despite the state’s urging to continue requiring masks.
“I think we're not ready to make that call yet about when we could take off our masks,” said Dr. Laurie Forlano, VDH’s Deputy Director of the Office of Epidemiology. “That's not the CDC nor the VDH’s recommendation right now.”