PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Delaware Gov. John Carney announced masks will be required for all school students and staff, starting Monday.
The mandate applies to kindergarten students and older, in both public and private schools, regardless if they have been vaccinated or not.
The mandate also extends to child care homes and centers. Children younger than 2 do not need to wear masks.
“There’s no higher priority than getting all Delaware children back in their classrooms full-time this fall,” Carney said in a statement. “This consistent, statewide approach will help students, educators and staff return to school safely and without disruption.”
Carney said state employees and any visitors to government facilities will need to mask up as well.
More vaccine and testing requirements for Delaware state employees are expected to be announced in the coming days.
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To date, about 74% of adults in Delaware, and about 72% of those 12 and older, have received at least one vaccine dose.
Delaware follows New Jersey in enacting a school mask mandate. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has said he still has no plans to mandate masks in schools or businesses.