Archdiocese Of Philadelphia Makes Masks Mandatory For All Students, Staff
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eyewitness News has confirmed that masks will be required in all schools that are of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The chief communications officer says that all students, faculty, staff and visitors must wear a mask on school property.
The archdiocese says it will reevaluate its policy continuously based on transmission levels in the community.
Last week, the archdiocese advised all of its priests that they are not to assist any parishioner seeking a religious exemption from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The archdiocese said the vaccines have been deemed "morally acceptable" by the Catholic Church.
"In unison with the Holy See and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Archdiocese of Philadelphia strongly recommends that all members of the Catholic community should receive the COVID-19 vaccine unless a medical reason prevents them from doing so," Kenneth A. Gavin, chief communications officer with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said last Wednesday. "That recommendation is based on the facts that the COVID-19 vaccines and their development have been determined morally acceptable and that we all share a common ethical responsibility to the well-being of our fellow human beings."
Else in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia school board voted unanimously on Tuesday night to mandate the vaccine for all teachers and staff in the School District of Philadelphia.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.