Gov. John Carney announced on Monday that he will end the mask requirement for schools on March 1, dropping the mandate one month earlier than expected.
Just a few weeks ago the governor said the mask mandate would end March 31, announcing then that it would be up to districts to decide if they want to continue the requirement.
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Now, the order to wear a mask in public and private school settings, as well as child care facilities, ends 6 p.m. on Tuesday. School districts can still require teachers, staff and students at their respective schools to wear a mask.
State officials attributed this change to updated guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The governor is also ending the vaccine or regular testing requirements for educators and state employees at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 28, officials said.
This announcement comes at a time when COVID-19 hospitalizations and the percent of positive tests are at their lowest point since early August. The demand for testing has also plummeted, just a fraction of what it was compared to one month ago.
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman.
