CentraCare Recommending Masks Indoors For K-12 Schools

(KNSI) – CentraCare Health in St. Cloud wants schools to require masks again this year.

CentraCare encourages all Minnesota school districts and private schools to adopt mask requirements for all students, teachers, staff, and visitors in K-12 school buildings regardless of vaccination status.

The healthcare provider states masks are the best chance to keep kids healthy from all respiratory illnesses and keep kids in school. Many districts will not be offering distance learning this year.

“Our hope is that this message is met with understanding for the care and concern we have for the communities we serve,” said Dr. George Morris, Incident Commander for CentraCare’s COVID-19 response and family medicine and sports medicine physician. “We recommend that all staff and students who are 2 years or older wear face masks unless medical or developmental conditions prohibit their use.”

CentraCare says a mask mandate will protect those who cannot be vaccinated, including children under the age of 12. According to CentraCare, the pandemic is taking a toll on children’s learning and mental and physical health.

CentraCare and Carris Health join with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in urging mask-wearing.

Next week, the St. Cloud Area School District and the Sartell-St. Stephen School District will decide on whether to require masks. Catholic Community Schools in St. Cloud has stated they won’t require masks or vaccinations, but that could change in the future.

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