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Outdoor Masking Now Optional at State Schools and Offices

Effective March 9, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) will be updating its COVID-19 safety protocols to make outdoor masking at public school campuses and HIDOE facilities optional for students, faculty and staff.  During this time, indoor masking will continue to be required.

The Department has required masking both indoors and outdoors as an added protection since the start of the school year. The updated guidance takes into consideration the latest recommendations from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC’s latest guidance for K-12 schools recommends outdoor masking not be required when community levels are low to moderate. All counties in Hawaii are currently designated as “low.” The CDC looks at a combination of three metrics to determine the COVID-19 community level: new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days.

The HIDOE’s health and safety guidance for schools is being revised to reflect the updated masking guidance. Updates will continue to be made based on the latest data and information from national and local health authorities.

AP Photo

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