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Mask Protocols & Joint Statement from OCHCA and OCDE - July 27, 2021

Dear OVSD Parents, 

Today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revised its masking guidelines for K-12 schools.  The CDC recommends that all teachers, staff and students of K-12 schools wear masks indoors, even if they are vaccinated. This guidance now aligns with the California Department of Public Health’s regulations for schools.

The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) have released a joint statement regarding the recently updated California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance for schools and universal mask requirements. 

To view the joint statement, click here.

A few key items to note:

  • All Orange County schools must follow the California Department of Public Health regulations requiring universal masking indoors for students and staff in TK-12 schools to begin the 2021-2022 school year and until guidance is subsequently revised.
  • Local school districts do not have jurisdiction over mask mandates and must enforce the mandates required by the CDPH in the new K-12 school guidance.
  • Neither the OCHCA, OCDE, nor local school boards may implement policies that are less restrictive than the mandates required by CDPH which are enforceable under the California Emergency Services Act, Government Code 8665.

If you would like to provide feedback regarding mask mandates, you may contact Dr. Mark Ghaly at the CDPH via email at mark.ghaly@chhs.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carol Hansen, Superintendent
Patricia Singer, President, Board of Trustees