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State points to Arizona study on effectiveness of masks in schools

By Bruce Kropp Oct 6, 2021 | 11:45 AM

Masking up in school is a contentious issue in many areas, but the State Board of Education is pointing to a recent CDC study that found masks are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19

The C-D-C study looked at about one thousand schools in Arizona and determined that schools that don’t require masks were three and a half times more likely to have an outbreak of the virus compared to schools that do.

The State Board’s Executive Director of Safe and Healthy Climate Jeff Aranowski says the study confirms the importance of the masks.

“So clearly the fight continues to confirm what previous studies have shown which is masking is a critical tool as we kind of go to the new phase of what COVID-19 might bring us this school year.”

Aranowski says there are currently four public school districts and eight private schools on probation for not enforcing the mandate.

Governor JB Pritzker was asked Monday when the state’s school mask mandate will be lifted and he said the state would continue to follow the recommendations of the CDC.