Ohio governor mandating masks for K-12 students

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said Tuesday he will be issuing an order mandating students in grades K-12 wear masks while in school during the coronavirus pandemic.

DeWine noted that the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidance Tuesday recommending masks in school to reduce “the chances of an infected individual passing the virus onto others.”

“I’m announcing today that we will be issuing an order that reflects this policy statewide. This gives us the best shot to keep Ohio’s kids and educators safe and physically in school,” DeWine tweeted.

The governor added that he’s working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to distribute 2 million masks to schools for use by both students and staff. The masks will be passed out by regional education service centers serving as distribution partners to the state government. 

We are working w/ @FEMA to distribute 2M masks to schools for use by students and staff. We’ll deliver these to regional education service centers serving as our distribution partners so schools and families have access to the resources they for the coming school year.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 4, 2020

The new guidance from the Ohio medical groups Tuesday included exceptions for children under the age of 2, any child unable to remove their face mask without assistance, a child with a significant “behavioral/psychological issue” or “severe autism” and a child with a “facial deformity that causes airway obstruction.”

The announcement comes as states across the country grapple with if and how to reopen schools this fall. President Trump and Republicans in Washington have pushed for schools to open their doors and hold in-person classes, while Democrats have advocated for a more cautious approach.

Ohio was lauded for its initial response to the coronavirus pandemic in the state when the outbreak began earlier this year, though it has seen a rise in cases recently. The state has had more than 95,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and more than 3,500 people there have died.