Despite Youngkin's order, Northern Virginia school districts maintaining mask requirements

Nah.

It's a reminder for the person to stay on the topic at hand. Kinda like how Trump defended Russia and Putin's tactics when he sided against American intelligence and said "You think our country's so innocent?"

History is not kind to Fascists. Nor the people who blindly support them.

Totally hard to understand. Completely.

But you ignore the entirety of the law. Especially the parts where it refers to the phased approach that would be in accordance with the Dept. of Education:

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/health_medical/office/phase-guidance.shtml

"Focus on prevention. Promote vaccination, as it is the leading prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic and can help schools safely return to and maintain in-person learning. Establish a school culture of adherence to prevention strategies both in and out of school. Establish environments in which vaccination is promoted, and people physically distance, wear masks correctly and consistently, practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and clean frequently. Coordinate closely with local health departments. Educate students/staff to monitor health daily and stay at home if they have symptoms, and follow public health recommendations. Consider screening testing programs to identify cases early. "

Then consider the interim guidance that the bill refers to:

https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/182/2021/03/Interim-Guidance-to-K-12-School-Reopening.pdf

"Pursuant to the Public Health Order issued by the State Health Commissioner

on August 12, 2021, all individuals aged two and older must wear masks

when indoors at public and private K-12 schools.

All Virginia K-12 schools (including PreK classrooms) must implement

a requirement that students, teachers, and staff wear masks indoors,

regardless of vaccination status.

In addition, please visit the Contact Tracing and Case Investigation section

for more information on how mask wearing may pertain to the definition

of close contacts for purposes of case investigations in a school classroom

setting.

Outdoor settings are generally safer than indoors. In outdoor school settings,

VDH recommends those who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask in crowded

outdoor settings or during outdoor activities that involve sustained close

contact with other people. This is especially important for athletes playing

close contact sports.

School officials must adhere to the requirements listed in the Department of

Labor and Industry’s (DOLI) Standard pertaining to employees. The standard

applies to every employer, employee, and place of employment in the

Commonwealth within the jurisdiction of the VOSH program, including state

and local government employers and employees. Additional information

about the application of the applicable standards can be found on the FAQ

page.

Divisions must also adhere to any other federal laws or regulations related

to masks, including the requirement to wear masks on school buses (per a

CDC order). "

THEN here is the State Health Commissioner's order to wear masks (the thing SB1303 is married to):

STATE HEAL TH COMMISSIONER ORDER OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

STATEWIDE REQUIREMENT TO WEAR MASKS IN K-12 SCHOOLS

WHEREAS, the State Health Commissioner declared nove1 coronavirus (COVID-19) a

communicable disease of public health threat on February 7, 2020 and further declared on July 1,

2021 that a public health emergency continued to exist; and

WHEREAS, Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam's Executive Directive Number

Eighteen issued on August 5, 2021 , highlights the ongoing danger of COVID-19 to unvaccinated

individuals; and

WHEREAS, COVID-19 spreads from person-to-person, transmitted via respiratory

droplets, and can be spread from an infected person who does not have symptoms to another

person; and

WHEREAS, emerging data show that the Delta variant is different than past versions of

the virus and is much more contagious; and

WHEREAS, the State Health Commissioner seeks to contain, control, and prevent

additional COVID-19 infections in schools; and

WHEREAS, children under age 12 are not yet eligible to receive any available vaccine;

and

WHEREAS, only 40.3% of 12-15 year-olds and 51.7 % of 16-17 year olds in Virginia are

fully vaccinated as of August 10, 2021; and

WHEREAS, universal and correct mask use is an important COVID-19 prevention

strategy in schools as part of a multicomponent approach and has been shown to be associated

with lower incidence of COVID-19 in schools; and

WHEREAS, Virginia Senate Bill No. 1303, Acts of Assembly, Chapter 456 requires K12 schools open for in-person instruction and reducing COVID-19 transmission and outbreaks

during such in-person instruction is a priority of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises universal

indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in K-12 schools, regardless of

vaccination status; and

State Health Commissioner Order Of Public Health Emergency

Statewide Requirement To Wear Masks In K-12 Schools

August 12, 2021

Page 2 of3

WHEREAS, the CDC recommends that schools continue to use layered prevention

strategies outlined in the CDC Guidance for Prevention ofCOVID-19 in K-12 Schools,

including the universal and correct use of masks of all people in schools, regardless of

vaccination status; and

WHEREAS, decreasing spread in Virginia's K-12 schools, which have a high percentage

of unvaccinated individuals, protects the health of students, teachers, staff and their families; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to § 32.1 -13 of the Code of Virginia, the State Health

Commissioner, acting for the Board of Health when it is not in session pursuant to § 32.1-20 of

the Code of Virginia, is vested with authority to make separate orders to meet any emergency not

provided for by general regulations, for the purpose of suppressing conditions dangerous to the

public health and communicable, contagious, and infectious diseases.

NOW THEREFORE, the State Health Commissioner, pursuant to§§ 32.1-13 and 32.1-20

of the Code of Virginia, hereby issues this Order finding that a public health emergency due to

COVID-1 9 continues to exist, and requiring all individuals aged two and older to wear masks

when indoors at public and private K-12 schools in order to inhibit spread of the virus, as

recommended and described by the CDC. Exceptions to this Order include:

A. Individuals eating, drinking, or sleeping;

B. Individuals exercising or using exercise equipment;

C. Any person who is playing a musical instrument when wearing a mask would inhibit the

playing of the instrument (e.g., wind or brass instrument) so long as at least six feet of

physical distance can be maintained from other persons;

D. Any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise

unable to remove the mask without assistance;

E. Any person who has a disability or meets at-risk criteria or those assisting such persons,

including individuals with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan under the

Rehabilitation Act, where wearing a mask would inhibit communication or the receiving

of services.

F. When necessary to participate in a religious ritual; and

G. Persons with health conditions or disabilities that prohibit wearing a mask. Nothing in

this Order shall require the use of a mask by any person for whom doing so would be

contrary to his or her health or safety because of a medical condition. Adaptations and

alternatives for individuals with health conditions or disabilities should be considered

whenever possible to increase the feasibility of wearing a mask to reduce the risk of

COVID-1 9 spreading if it is not possible to wear one.

Any person who declines to wear a mask because of a medical condition or any person with a

sincerely held religious objection to wearing masks in school may request a reasonable

accommodation.

State Health Commissioner Order Of Public Health Emergency

Statewide Requirement To Wear Masks In K-1 2 Schools

August 12, 2021

Page 3 of3

This Order shall be enforced pursuant to§ 32.1-27 of the Code of Virginia.

This Order shall be effective August 12, 2021, and shall remain in full force and effect

until the CDC guidelines for K-12 schools change, unless this Order is sooner amended or

rescinded.

Given under my hand and under the Seal of the Office of the State Health Commissioner

of the Commonwealth of Virginia this 12th day of August 2021.

Stop being a whiny snowflake.

They tied the legislation to the CDC recommendations. It is not up to State officials to decide.

Numerous articles haven been starting to say the quiet part out loud: Republicans are dying off due to the virus and their cavalier attitude towards mitigation.

It is too late for some of you.

He went well beyond that incident. Funny how you GQP nutters cannot. Which isn't all that surprising, given that you're the intellectual inheritors of Segregationist movement.

Boy, if this was some sort of bioweapon engineered in China, you would think that a large portion of Republicans wouldn't take it willingly.

Hey Dutko, I am not aware of anyone saying it was a bioweapon, but it could be. It is almost certain that it was "engineered" in China, most likely caused by the virus escaping research labs funded by Fauci's Gain of Function research. It may not have been purposely leaked, but who knows. Now that it is in the wild it will continue to mutate and new variants will likely come along. The variants will likely be less lethal as the virus looks for the optimum level of immune response in its victims to ensure its survival.

And you know this how Paul? How about citing a few surveys and polls that show that. Otherwise why shouldn't we just dismiss your comments as more wing nut drivel.

So much racism in yours and others comments.

@Paul

Just admit the reason why Republicans have a disdain for following sound medical advice is because it is political in nature.

It is not religious.

It is not based on scientific facts.

Because it it was, there would be worldwide guidance on the subject.

They will use this as long as they can. It won them 2020 even though they are now saying we need election reform. Kinda odd that they say we need election reform now and also say trump was wrong to question 2020. "Democrats don't care what you do as long as it is mandatory" - Chris Plante

@ Duke

Are you arguing against everyone having the right to vote?