AUSTIN – With the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the city, Mayor Steven Adler has announced his desire that students mask up when they return to school.
The mayor said he wants to avoid legal issues with the governor but said if there was a way to order that all students wear masks in school, they would be doing it, according to KXAN.
“If there was a way to order that all students have to wear masks in school, we would be doing it,” he said.
Texas Governor Abbott has barred cities from having more restrictive guidelines than the state. Austin is currently in Stage 3 of the risk-based chart, which means unvaccinated people are encouraged to wear masks for all activities, vaccinated people only need them for travel, according to KXAN.
Adler, along with other city leaders, are partnering up with Austin Public Health officials to promote mask-wearing among Austin school children, along with school faculty and people visiting schools in the area.
He, along with Austin Public Health officials and other local leaders, are urging all parents to make their kids wear masks to school when classes start in the fall. Additionally, local leaders will also be encouraging teachers and other adults in school buildings to mask up as well.
Adler said that even those who are vaccinated could be potential carriers of the virus at a recent COVID-19 meeting.
“People who are vaccinated are passing it to other people, even when they don’t know it,” he said. “So if we are going to get to that pink line instead of that green line everybody needs to be wearing masking now indoors.