SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 15, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Department of Health has issued a public health order clarifying the standards for face coverings in schools.
The order stipulates that every individual on school property, or on a school bus, must wear a face mask which covers the nose and mouth without openings that can be seen through, secures under the chin, and fits snugly against the sides of the nose and the face, said a statement from the Office of the Governor. Face masks must be worn, even when an individual is able to physical distance, except in very limited circumstances.
Face shields may only be worn without a face mask when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication, including for an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing or while participating in speech therapy.
“Recent studies are showing that not all face coverings provide equal protection against COVID-19,” said Gov. Gary Herbert. “As we send our children back to school, we need to make sure that they are wearing face masks that actually reduce the spread of coronavirus in the air.”
View the full text of the public health order, the requirements for masks worn on school property and in school buses, here.
