As COVID-19 numbers surge in Philadelphia, schools bring back mask mandate

Philadelphia schools reinstated their COVID-19 mask mandate this week as case numbers rise rapidly in the area.

The school district announced the reinstatement of the mask mandate to parents on Monday, with superintendent WIlliam Hite writing, “As we’ve learned since the pandemic began, the coronavirus continues to evolve and so too will our response to it.” 

The statement from Hite said students will be required to wear masks in school buildings and also on school buses and other transportation.

“To help protect everyone’s health and well-being as COVID-19 case counts continue to rise in the Philadelphia area, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) has recommended that we resume universal mask wearing. Therefore, starting this Monday, May 23, 2022 and until further notice, all School District students and staff will be required to wear their masks during the school and work day and while riding on school buses and vans.”

Last week, Philadelphia health commissioner Cheryl Bettigole issued a statement regarding the rising COVID numbers in the area. The entire Philadelphia region is seeing COVID-19 cases rise dangerously,” Bettigole said. “We strongly recommend that every Philadelphian and visitors wear a mask whenever they’re indoors in public.” Bettigole said the city will not be issuing a mask mandate yet.

The New York Times COVID-19 tracker shows numbers across the country on the rise. ”The United States is averaging more than 105,000 new cases each day, the most since February, when the first Omicron wave was subsiding,” the Times said. “Cases are rising in most states, and since many cases go uncounted in official reports, the true toll is higher than these figures show.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s COVID dashboard shows case numbers in the city have risen 42 percent in the last month.