The San Diego County Office of Education received nearly 2 million N95 masks and began its distribution to local schools as a part of a state-wide initiative to further prevent COVID-19 transmission.
On Wednesday, county education officials announced on social media that the county Office of Education received 1.92 million adult-size masks for distribution to local schools. Children in grades 7-12, and school staff will be among the first to receive this shipment of N95 masks.
The county expects to receive another 6 million in future shipments, including masks for small children. The county expects to receive a total of 8 million adult- and child-sized masks for students and staff.
These masks are a part of a state-wide initiative promised by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. According to an SDCOE spokesperson, more would arrive soon, but no specific delivery date is available.
Every student and staff member in public schools, including charter schools, and students in private schools, would receive 10 masks with the distribution of all 8 million.
Officials said that school districts and principals have already begun to pick up the masks for distribution. These masks will be made available on school campuses, and not through the SDCOE headquarters to pick up masks individually.
The Centers for Disease and Control recently updated its public health guidance on masking amid rapid surges of the highly-infectious Omicron variant. Under the guidance, people to wear higher quality masks like N95 and KN95 masks instead of cloth or surgical ones.
According to the mask guidance, whichever product an individual chooses, it should provide a good fit and enough comfort for proper use.
The Omicron variant surpassed Delta as the dominant strain circulating the United States, accounting for 99.5 percent of new COVID-19 cases, according to the CDC.
President Joe Biden’s administration announced on Wednesday that it would make 400 million N95 masks available at pharmacies and community clinics free of charge.
The actions of the federal government and the state come as unprecedented surges in COVID-19 cases continue.
Earlier this month, the Sweetwater Union High School District distributed just over 36,000 Free At-Home COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test kits for students returning to in-person instruction on Jan.11.
“One way to ensure as many students as possible continue with in-person instruction includes continuing to implement strong COVID protocols, including wearing masks at all times on campus, practicing hand hygiene, maintaining social distance wherever possible, getting vaccinated or boosted if eligible, and implementing school-wide COVID-19 testing programs," SUHSD Superintendent Dr. Moises G. Aguirre said in a statement.
