Mass. schools cope with COVID disruptions, including 'non-medical' use masks

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Schools are now open across Massachusetts, trying to meet the state’s in-person learning requirements despite widespread staff shortages: hundreds — in some cases, even more than a thousand — school workers called out in districts across the state.

A sign reminding students to wear face masks and follow a set directional pattern are seen in the stairway of a Boston high school in February 2021. , along with Almi Abeyta, superintendent of Chelsea Public Schools, and Andrea Schwamb, assistant superintendent of Wareham Public Schools, to discuss how the rampant spread of omicron has disrupted school systems returning after the holiday break. To hear their conversation, click the audio atop this post.

As most schools reopened Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the state had secured KN95 masks that had been tested by researchers at MIT and judged to be 85% effective. DESE’s letter Wednesday morning came after days of educators and residents using social media to share images of the masks with that “non-medical” label.

Hackett's team had opted to keep schools closed on Monday to come out of the break without"mayhem": rapid tests that the state ordered for staff ended up arriving days late, leaving little time for distribution. Kinsella was frustrated at having inadvertently given teachers and students a false sense of security.“District leaders distributed these to staff and students, believing that we could trust in the information provided to us," she said."What’s disappointing about the state’s response thus far is that it seems that the state is pivoting to a shift of responsibility onto the individual.

 

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