PHILADELPHIA—On November 29, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued new Head Start Program Performance Standards that will require universal masking for all individuals aged 2 and older and require that all Head Start staff, some contractors, and volunteers be fully vaccinated by January 31, 2022. The announcement can be found on the Administration for Children and Families blog.

In response to this new standard, the Health Department issued the following statement.

“We strongly support the new rules issued by the Head Start program,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. “COVID-19 vaccination is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of severe disease and helps protect those around you who might not be vaccinated. The children in Head Start programs are currently too young to be vaccinated, so it has always been our recommendation to surround them with vaccinated people. This is particularly important for children with medical conditions such as Down syndrome or asthma who are at higher risk for complications from COVID-19. By making sure that staff, contractors, and volunteers are all fully vaccinated, we can keep those children safe until a vaccine is available for them. In addition, while all schools and early childhood education programs in Philadelphia require universal masking, we’re happy to have that policy validated.”

###

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is managing its own news media list. If you were forwarded this email and would like to receive future press releases and media advisories, please email phlpublichealth@phila.gov.