Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Makes Masks Optional in Public Schools

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill Wednesday making masks optional in public schools. 

“We are reaffirming the…fundamental rights all parents have to make decisions for their children,” he said on the steps of the Virginia Capitol. 

The law goes into effect immediately, but school districts have until March 1st to comply. 

Youngkin said the moment signifies a new chapter in the pandemic, “reestablishing our expectations that we will get back to normal, and this is the path.” 

As reported by the Washington Post, the original version of the bill made it state law that masks are optional beginning July 1st. However, Youngkin amended it with an “emergency clause” that would make the law effective immediately, and added a line saying school districts have until March 1st to comply. 

He also added a line specifying that the law does not prevent him from taking emergency steps to fight future health crises. 

Youngkin said he added the last line at the request of Virginia Democrats, and that he takes it to mean he could require masks if needed in the future. 

“I don’t think we’re going to need it, at this point,” he said. “We’ve seen omicron actually decline substantially — omicron is of course far less severe — and this is the natural progression of this pandemic, which won’t go away.”