Dear Bellmore-Merrick Families,
Earlier this afternoon, we received the attached letter from Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State Commissioner of Health written to Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, Director of Centers for Disease Control and Preventions. As you will read, "New York State plans to align the schools and camps mask guidance as follows:
- Indoors, mask use will be strongly encouraged, but not required for students, campers, and staff/teachers/counselors who are not fully vaccinated.
- Outdoors, masks are not required; students, campers, and staff/teachers/counselors who are not fully vaccinated are (encouraged) to wear a mask in certain higher risk circumstances.
- Both indoors and outdoors, students, campers, and staff who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks.
Governor Cuomo has indicated that the New York State Department of Health has reached out to the CDC to determine whether the CDC objects to this change and will issue updated guidance on Monday, June 7th. Once new guidance has been issued by the NYSDOH and/or the Governor, we will apprise you accordingly.
If I receive more information this weekend, I will share it with the community.
Take care and be well,
John DeTommaso
Superintendent of Schools