News/Commentary

Philadelphia schools announce temporary return of school mask mandate

December 16, 2022 | | Print Article

In the latest signal that the authoritarian left isn’t about to stop bitterly clinging to masks and mandates, Democrat-run Philadelphia announced that mandatory masking will make a return to schools in the City of Brotherly Love  when students return to classrooms after the Christmas break.

The Philly school district announced the temporary reinstatement of the forced masking for the first ten days after the break at a time when the Biden regime, discredited public health experts and the media are working to whip up a case of renewed mass hysteria over a “tripledemic” of influenza, RSV and COVID that will “overwhelm” hospitals if measures aren’t taken to prevent the spread.

“In an effort to be proactive in supporting healthy environments and maintaining in-person learning following students and staff returning from winter break, the District will implement mandatory masking from January 3 through January 13, 2023,” the school district said in a news release. “This is a proactive measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses in school, reduce absenteeism and prioritize in-person learning after the winter break.”

Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony Watlington described the decision to mandate masks as a “proactive measure” to mitigate the spread since  “many of us will be involved in quite a few social gatherings over the next few weeks.”

Masking was never truly off the table with the district’s official COVID protocols that were released at the beginning the school year stating that the mandate could be put into place “upon return from extended breaks and holidays when increased social gathering may heighten the risk of exposure to COVID-19.”

(Image: Screengrab/The School District of Philadelphia)

While the school mask mandate is currently “temporary” it is the proverbial camel’s nose under the tent and subject to indefinite extensions at the whims of officials, as was seen during the height of the COVID pandemic, it could also serve as an inspiration to others in Democrat-controlled areas, setting off a chain reaction which will be cheered on by the media.

Many reacted to the lunacy of Philly school officials including Outkick’s Clay Travis who blasted the “anti-science” decision as an “absolute disgrace.”

https://twitter.com/Moms4Liberty/status/1603234993542729728?s=20&t=pxhEhBSVYZTvF_VzJYTujA

The return of the stifling face diapers to Philadelphia schools comes at a time when mask recommendations have been made in Democrat-controlled cities including New York and Los Angeles, although officials have at least for now refrained from imposing the highly controversial mandates.

Los Angeles County Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer announced an indoor mask recommendation last weekend at a press briefing.

“If you’re going to an event such as a concert or a large Christmas party, there is now a higher likelihood that one or more persons at the event is infected,’ she said during a news briefing. “They could unknowingly infect you, and you in turn could unknowingly infect your friends, your co-workers or your family.”

“The holiday season is about togetherness and there is a way to gather safely – even as respiratory viruses in our city are unusually high,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said of the city’s mask advisory. “It starts with protecting yourself. Vaccination and boosters are critical but so are common sense precautions like masking when indoors or among crowds and staying home if you don’t feel well. Also, get tested before getting together, and get treated quickly if you test positive. We want everyone to have a happy and – most of all – healthy holiday.”

“We also encourage you to wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses,” CDC Director Rochelle Walenksy told reporters at a briefing last week. “CDC continues to recommend masking for anyone choosing to travel by plane, train, bus or other form of public transportation.”

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Chris Donaldson
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