New Virginia Governor Youngkin to Lift School Mask Mandate – NBC4 Washington

Virginia’s next governor, Glenn Youngkin, said he would lift the state’s school mask obligations and change other COVID-19 policies after taking office on Saturday, January 15. Of a pandemic.

In an interview Wednesday, Yongkin said Virginia would no longer require children to wear masks at school.

“We intend to withdraw the obligation to require children from kindergarten to high school to wear masks at school, which is pretty clear,” he told Norfolk’s WTKR-TV during the campaign. I repeated what I pointed out in.

The school district can keep the mask recommendations, but parents can choose not to follow them, he added.

“The way Virginia works is that the governor can’t ban the duty of masks. The school makes those decisions,” he said. To opt out of those obligations. “

Yongkin’s office did not answer questions about whether to remove the obligation to mask from kindergarten to high school on the first day of inauguration, or what the change in policy would tell parents who are afraid to spread the virus. ..

The Boards of Education in Loudoun County and Spotsylvania County will meet next week.

In another major announcement on the state’s response to COVID, Yongkin nominated a deputy health commissioner in a statement late Thursday. Dr. Colin Green will play that role. He is a former Army family doctor who directs the state’s Sir Fairfax and the health district of Rapahanok-Rapidan and encourages him to be vaccinated against COVID.

To date, Virginia’s response to the coronavirus has been led by Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, a pediatric neurologist who says science has guided his path.

With less than two points in Republican executives, Yongkin promised a new approach in the next phase of the pandemic. He encouraged vaccination, but emphasized personal choices and opposed vaccination and mask obligations.

Here’s what Yongkin knows more about plans to deal with COVID, what the data looks like now, and how the changes will affect Virginia citizens.

Julie Carrie reports what the governor-elect wants to achieve after day one.

What Yongkin said about federal vaccine obligations

Earlier this month, Yonkin and state’s next lawyer, Republican Jason Miyares, announced that Virginia would join other Republican-led states and corporate groups to challenge federal vaccine requirements.

“We believe that vaccines are an important tool in the fight against COVID-19, but the federal government cannot impose that will and limit American freedom, and Virginia is her people. We strongly believe that we are in the best condition when we are allowed to make the best decisions for our families and businesses, “they said in a joint statement.

The Supreme Court suspended federal vaccination regulations on Thursday, requiring employees of large corporations to be regularly vaccinated or tested and to wear masks at work. The court has allowed the Biden administration to move forward with mandatory vaccines for most health care workers.

What Yongkin said about COVID vaccines and boosters

Yongkin has repeatedly encouraged vaccinations and boosters, but said he opposes the need for vaccines.

“I received the COVID-19 booster vaccine this morning. It’s your decision, but I recommend that all Virginias join me. Together, we keep our community safe. You can help keep it, “he said in a tweet last month.

What we know about school masks and Virginia COVID statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that students, school staff, and visitors over the age of two wear masks in all kindergarten to high school schools, regardless of vaccination status. In Virginia, as of January 14, a mask is required in the school under a public health order by Dr. Norman Oliver, a state health commissioner.

Studies continue to show that masks are an effective way to reduce COVID infections in schools, says Lindsey Marr, a professor at Virginia Tech and an engineer specializing in aerial transmission of infectious diseases. I did.

“This is a particularly important time for us to wear a better mask like the N95, because we are in the midst of a surge in Omicron and Omicron is another variant we have seen. It’s much more contagious than it is, “Mah said. Thursday with a video footage released by Virginia Tech. Her comments had nothing to do with Yongkin’s plans.

COVID cases and hospitalizations have increased dramatically in the state over the past month. Earlier this week, Northam issued an urgent order to increase hospital staff and capacity. Yongkin said he supported the order.

Potential impact of Yongkin’s cancellation of Maskman dating from kindergarten to high school

Dr. Jatia Reiten, a professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the removal of the masked obligations of Virginia’s schools could have a disproportionate impact on low-income residents and people of color. Stated. Taking a child home from school because of exposure to COVID may be inconvenient for parents who can work from home. For parents with low-paying jobs, having to choose between working and caring for their children can mean more.

“It’s the difference between paying rent and buying groceries,” she said.

Relaxing COVID policies in schools will increase the spread of the virus, and if children are frequently separated from the classroom, children in low-income households will be cut off from major food and safety sources, Ryton said. Stated.

“The assumption is that we all have access to WiFi, computers and food at home,” she said.

Due to the proliferation of COVID-19 cases in Virginia, more hospitals have moved to “crisis standard of care.” This can expand resources and reduce the impact of supply and doctor shortages. In Fredericksburg, Mary Washington Hospital turned the parking lot into a field hospital. Cory Smith of News4 looked inside before the first patient arrived.

Appointment of Youngkin for Virginia’s Next Health Leader

Yongkin’s choice for health officials and advisers shows his thoughts on the virus.

Green, chosen by the new governor to serve as a health commissioner, wrote an editorial in May, urging unvaccinated people to reconsider.

“Anyone vaccinated is unlikely to suffer or die from COVID-19, safely hug family and friends in northwestern Virginia and elsewhere, and enjoy the missing human companion. There is another person who can do it, “he writes. Forkia Times.

In a statement quoted by Trumpet Hannock News last month, Green said he was hoping to see the school’s mask obligations lifted.

“We’re no longer like masked police … Republicans like to decentralize our decisions. Watch the Ministry of Education tell you exactly what to do, line by line. I don’t think it will be. I think the school district will have some freedom again. ”

Yongkin also announced this week that he will be led by an independent medical advisory team consisting of doctors and public health professionals. The team is led by Dr. Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and Fox News commentator and public policy researcher. He is a best-selling author of “The Price We Pay: What Breaks American Health Care-and How to Fix It.”

McCulley has questioned many CDC decisions, including guidance on masks at school. He argued that there was insufficient data on the usefulness of masks in schools in the Wall Street Journal, entitled “The Case of Masks for Children,” which was published in August.

Virginia’s next administration is taking shape with the announcement that Governor Glenn Youngkin has been elected Secretary of Education. Aimee Guidera has children at Fairfax County Public School and has a broad background in advocacy and policy for education. Drew Wilder, a reporter for the North Virginia Department, reports that one of the groups she founded also emphasizes the importance of understanding how race affects children’s education.

“Education Governor”

Wrighten, a professor at VCU, pointed out that Youngkin focused education and thus children on his campaign. He wants to be known as the “Governor of Education” and will create a new charter school, respect teachers’ personal beliefs on LGBTQ issues, and ban the education of critical race theory.

The new governor, the three mothers, said the new governor could serve the children of the state by implementing strong COVID measures.

“This is really a concrete protection for children,” she said.