LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Starting on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Unified School District will no longer require students or staff to wear face coverings while outdoors, the district said in a statement Friday.
"In alignment with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and with guidance from our medical director and health partners, outdoor masking will be optional for all individuals in Los Angeles Unified Schools effective Feb. 22," the district said in a statement shared by new Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
"Individuals participating in athletic activities at schools on Monday...during the Presidents Day holiday, may opt to do so without masks."
Speaking in an interview with KTLA, Carvalho said it must be acknowledged that positivity rate across Los Angeles are "significantly low." As of Friday, the L.A. County positivity rate is 2.6%, with 4,330 new cases of COVID-19, 70 additional deaths and a total of 1,616 people currently hospitalized with COVID.
The current case numbers are on a continued decline based on numbers shared by the Department of Public Health over the last two months.
The school district's decision to remove the outdoor mask mandate comes on the heels of a similar decision by L.A. County on Wednesday.
As hospitalizations have remained below 2,500 for more than seven consecutive days, masking at all outdoor "mega" events, events with 5,000 people or more and masking at outdoor spaces in K-12 county schools and childcare facilities is now recommended but not mandatory.
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