CA mask use falls as school vaccine mandate delays

Since CVUSD lifted the mask mandate back in March 2022 to the beginning of the school year in August 2022, the percentage of masked students and staff has dropped from 95 percent to 75 percent, according to a recent count done by The Olympian.

Covid rates at CVHS, however, are at a total of 30 cases since the beginning of August, according to CVUSD’s Positive Case Dashboard.

“Everybody should still wear masks for now, but for things like outside activities it should be okay to take off our masks,” commented sophomore Max Boychuk.

English teacher Eric Unti shared his thoughts. “Right now they are optional and recommended for indoors and I’ve been wearing mine in the classroom and I think it’s a good idea,” he said.

While mask use drops, however, there is still no vaccine mandate implemented for students and staff in the state of California, though one was set to come into effect for the 2022-2023 school year.

On Oct. 1, 2021 Gov. Gavin Newsome had announced plans to implement a vaccine requirement for middle and high schools starting Jan. 1 or July 1 2022, making California the first state in the nation to announce a mandate for a student Covid vaccination.

On April 14, 2022, however, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced the mandate for schools would be delayed until at least July 2023.

The CDHP expressed how the FDA must fully approve the shots starting with students in grades 7-12 (the first phase of the vaccine mandate), then for students in grades K-6 (the second phase of the vaccine mandate).

“I don’t feel quite good about this delay because that makes me more at risk of missing days during a more critical school year,” said senior Raymond Chin.

In addition, Chin lives in a multi-generational household where his immunocompromised grandmother lives with him. “I have a grandma that is old and at risk. I don’t want bad things happening to her,” he said.

Senior Jolli Clay does not appreciate the delay either. “I’d like to see the Covid vaccine part of the required vaccines such as those for measles and chickenpox,” she said. 

Similarly to Chin, Clay worries about her family. “My entire family got Covid in January even though we’re all vaccinated. But my brother got it from someone at school who wasn’t vaccinated,” she said. “It feels unfair if people who are vaccinated do get Covid from people who are not vaccinated and not wearing masks.”

As California schools wait for the vaccine mandate to take effect, CVHS students and staff shared their thoughts on what the community should do in the meantime.

“I want to go back to a reality where everyone doesn’t have to wear masks, but we just have to take care of each other,” said Clay.

Unti shared his insight. “I also understand that we are trying to return to some sense of normalcy and I still think we’re trying to find that balance between caution, public health, and living our lives,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a continually evolving process. I think people should do what they’re comfortable with.”