Important COVID UpdatesLegislature Moving to Repeal Mask Mandate: On January 19, the Governor extended the Mask Mandate until March 20. On January 21, GOP lawmakers introduced a resolution that would end the mask mandate. The resolution passed the Senate on January 26th and is expected to be passed by the Assembly on January 28. The repeal comes over the objection from the health care community that doing so would be a mistake. The repeal does not impact local requirements. Recent CDC research on schools emphasizes how critical masks are to stopping COVID spread (see "Research on School Spread" below). Federal Stimulus: The President signed into law a new COVID stimulus package on December 27th. The package includes grant funds for schools, known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II). Initial estimates for the ESSER II allocation indicates the amount will be four times what was awarded under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER I) under the prior stimulus package last spring. Districts will be able to spend their ESSER II award for expenses through September 30, 2023. The DPI submitted a plan for approval to the Joint Committee on Finance on January 26th, which would provide at least $395 per pupil to every district ($100,000 minimum per district). Vaccination: On January 26, the Department of Health Services released that educators will be next in line under Phase 1B and warned that vaccine may not be available until March 1. The Governor, with staff from DHS and DPI, will be meeting with district administrators and local health officials today at 1:30 PM to discuss these issues. Research on School Spread: Schools operating in person have seen scant transmission of the coronavirus, particularly when masks and distancing are employed, but some indoor athletics have led to infections and should be curtailed if schools want to operate safely, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded in papers published January 26th. |