All Fresno County schools to require masks in classrooms regardless of vaccination status

Students and teachers in Fresno County will wear masks in classrooms this fall, regardless of coronavirus immunization status, schools and health officials said Friday.

Students will be allowed to remove their masks outdoors during recess.

Speaking with reporters Friday, Fresno County’s Deputy Superintendent Hank Gutierrez said the policy falls in line with guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer, said health officials might re-examine the policy in November.

“Until November 1, this seems to be the lay of the land, and then I think based on case rates, based on how things go with vaccination rates and our ability to do testing, then we may revisit the masking rule,” Vohra said.

Fresno Unified officials said the county’s new guidelines are consistent with the state’s and the district will continue to follow rules about providing masks to those who don’t bring one, and giving exemptions for people who cannot wear masks for medical reasons.

Clovis Unified school officials could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

Vohra also encouraged young people over the age of 12 to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as another mitigation strategy against the virus.

“No one thing is perfect; even the masks aren’t perfect. But in combination with all the other things we are asking them to do, that’s really going to keep schools open because otherwise, if we have outbreaks again, that’s never a good situation, and sometimes they can move so quickly that we end up closing schools or classes and nobody wants to do that,” Vohra said.

To help boost COVID-19 vaccinations, the county’s Office of Education has partnered with the health department to offer vaccination clinics, which will begin rolling out in the next three to four weeks, Gutierrez said.

In addition to the optional coronavirus vaccine, the clinics will also offer other school-required immunizations.

“The Fresno County Office of Education is not mandating that parents get their children COVID vaccinated,” Gutierrez said. “They will just be offering COVID vaccination should parents wish to vaccinate their children against COVID.”