PA To Issue School Mask Mandate Today: Sources

UPDATE: Masks Will Be Required In All PA Schools, Gov. Wolf Says

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Health is expected to issue a school mask mandate for all students in K-12, according to The Associated Press. An announcement on the mandate is expected later Tuesday, NBC10 reported.

A 2 p.m. virtual news conference has been scheduled. At that time, Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to join Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam, Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead and Department of Education Secretary Noe Ortega to "discuss the current state of COVID-19 across the commonwealth and the 2021-2022 school year."

Wolf recently requested that the state Legislature pass a law that mandates masks in schools, citing "inaction" on the local level. However, Pennsylvania Republican leadership said on Friday that they would not return to Harrisburg to address the issue, arguing that "the impact is not equal everywhere."

Several school districts have instituted a universal mask mandate, but others have not.

Across Pennsylvania, state officials say that only 59 school districts out of 474 have submitted health and safety plans requiring masks for all. See a list here.

This is a breaking story, check back for updates.