Denver School, Childcare Mask Mandate To End This Month

DENVER, CO — A mask mandate for schools and childcare facilities in Denver will end this month, officials announced.

The public health order requiring face-coverings in school buildings and childcare facilities will end at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, amid declining COVID-19 cases in Denver and the surrounding metro area, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment said in a news release Wednesday.

"COVID-19 cases among children and adults are rapidly decreasing and vaccination rates in Denver are high," the agency said. "Nearly 80% of people ages 5 and older in Denver are vaccinated, and over 40% have received their booster shot."

Dr. Alex Marrero, superintendent of Denver Public Schools, noted in a letter to the community dated Wednesday that masks are still required in all indoor school settings until Feb. 25. Beginning Monday, Feb. 28, masks would no longer be required, but are strongly recommended for all students, staff, and visitors in the district.

Public officials are discussing possible changes to quarantine and reporting requirements as rates fall, Marrero said. He expects to see updated health and safety guidance in the coming days for meetings, central support sites, and athletic and other school events.

"Our COVID-19 plan and procedures continue to be guided by their medical and public health expertise," Marrero said. " Our health partners made this decision based on high rates of immunity and lower rates of severe disease."

Dr. Steven Federico, director of Pediatrics for Denver Health and a close partner with the district, said in a statement the city is at a "different phase of the pandemic," coming out of the omicron wave.

“The focus moving forward needs to be on vaccination — including boosters for teens and adults, as well staying home and getting tested when we’re sick," he said. "The lifting of this mandate does not mean that individuals should not or cannot mask.”

The news comes after Denver’s indoor mask mandate expired last week.

“I want to thank all the students, teachers and staff who have done the right thing to protect themselves and one another from COVID-19 by following public health orders and getting vaccinated,” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a statement. “Based on the current data, and the efforts of our residents, this is a step we can take at this time. We are supportive of any additional measures our schools put in place, as needed, to continue in-person learning.”

Officials strongly recommended face coverings for people who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised. Additionally, masks for people who are fully vaccinated and boosted can provide an additional layer of protection, particularly when in crowded indoor spaces.

Denver health officials encouraged parents to get their kids vaccinated against COVID-19, as the Pfizer vaccine is approved for children as young as 5. Boosters are also available and strongly recommended for children ages 12 and older.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is analyzing data and determining how safe vaccines are for kids between 6 months and 5 years old.

“With the current decline in severe cases and the high rates of immunity that we’re seeing, it is safe to lift the school mask mandate at this time,” Dr. Sterling McLaren, the city's chief medical officer, said in a statement. “The best way to protect children is to make sure they stay up to date with their vaccinations and ensure that the adults around them are vaccinated as well.”