The_AT0 school_NN1 district_NN1 serving_VVG the_AT0 southern_AJ0 Minnesota_NP0 city_NN1 that_CJT Mayo_NP0 Clinic_NN1 calls_NN2 home_AV0 took_VVD a_AT0 commendable_AJ0 step_NN1 this_DT0 week_NN1 ._SENT When_CJS classes_NN2 resume_VVB in_PRP Rochester_NP0 ,_PUN students_NN2 ages_NN2 2_CRD through_PRP 11_CRD will_VM0 be_VBI required_VVN to_TO0 wear_VVI masks_NN2 when_CJS they_PNP 're_VBB inside_PRP school_NN1 facilities_NN2 ._SENT Every_AT0 Minnesota_NP0 school_NN1 should_VM0 follow_VVI that_DT0 lead_NN1 and_CJC expand_VVB it_PNP to_TO0 include_VVI students_NN2 and_CJC staff_NN0 at_PRP every_AT0 grade_NN1 level_NN1 regardless_AV0 of_PRF vaccination_NN1 status_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ the_AT0 responsible_AJ0 course_NN1 of_PRF action_NN1 as_CJS COVID-19_NN1 's_VBZ dangerously_AV0 transmissible_AJ0 delta_NN1 variant_NN1 circulates_VVZ and_CJC the_AT0 vaccine_NN1 has_VHZ yet_AV0 to_TO0 be_VBI authorized_VVN for_PRP children_NN2 under_PRP 12._CRD Protecting_AJ0 children_NN2 and_CJC stopping_VVG the_AT0 virus_NN1 are_VBB paramount_AJ0 ._SENT But_CJC the_AT0 relative_AJ0 ease_NN1 with_PRP which_DTQ Rochester_NP0 's_POS school_NN1 board_NN1 took_VVD a_AT0 strong_AJ0 step_NN1 toward_PRP a_AT0 mask_NN1 mandate_NN1 is_VBZ unlikely_AJ0 to_TO0 be_VBI duplicated_VVN elsewhere_AV0 around_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 ._SENT Most_DT0 schools_NN2 do_VDB n't_XX0 have_VHI a_AT0 world-class_AJ0 medical_AJ0 center_NN1 in_PRP their_DPS city_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP the_AT0 built-in_AJ0 community_NN1 support_NN1 for_PRP public_AJ0 health_NN1 that_CJT this_DT0 brings_VVZ ._SENT There_EX0 's_VBZ also_AV0 widespread_AJ0 weariness_NN1 with_PRP COVID_AJ0 mitigation_NN1 measures_NN2 ,_PUN likely_AV0 leading_VVG to_PRP pushback_NN1 against_PRP masking_NN1 requirements_NN2 ._SENT That_DT0 's_VBZ why_AVQ the_AT0 clear_AJ0 ,_PUN strong_AJ0 guidance_NN1 issued_VVD this_DT0 week_NN1 by_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 departments_NN2 of_PRF Health_NN1 and_CJC Education_NN1 is_VBZ welcome_AJ0 ._SENT On_PRP Wednesday_NP0 ,_PUN officials_NN2 from_PRP both_DT0 agencies_NN2 strongly_AV0 recommended_VVN indoor_AJ0 masking_NN1 for_PRP all_DT0 K-12_CRD students_NN2 ,_PUN staff_NN0 and_CJC visitors_NN2 regardless_AV0 of_PRF vaccination_NN1 status_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 state_NN1 call_NN1 hews_NN2 to_PRP updated_AJ0 guidance_NN1 this_DT0 week_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 U.S._NP0 Centers_NN2 for_PRP Disease_NN1 Control_NN1 and_CJC Prevention_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 American_AJ0 Academy_NN1 of_PRF Pediatrics_NN1 also_AV0 has_VHZ called_VVN for_PRP "_PUQ universal_AJ0 masking_NN1 "_PUQ in_PRP schools_NN2 ._SENT With_PRP that_DT0 consensus_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 message_NN1 is_VBZ unmistakable_AJ0 :_PUN Masking_VVG for_PRP K-12_CRD students_NN2 is_VBZ "_PUQ best_AJS practice_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 state_NN1 Health_NN1 Department_NN1 stopped_VVD short_AJ0 of_PRF a_AT0 mandate_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC its_DPS strong_AJ0 recommendation_NN1 strikes_VVZ a_AT0 balance_NN1 :_PUN respecting_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 's_POS long_AJ0 tradition_NN1 of_PRF local_AJ0 school_NN1 leadership_NN1 while_CJS making_VVG it_PNP clear_AJ0 that_CJT action_NN1 is_VBZ urgent_AJ0 ._SENT School_NN1 boards_NN2 and_CJC administrators_NN2 across_PRP Minnesota_NP0 should_VM0 heed_VVI this_DT0 medical_AJ0 expertise_NN1 —_PUN not_XX0 online_AJ0 rumors_NN2 and_CJC conspiracies_NN2 —_PUN as_CJS they_PNP put_VVB COVID_AJ0 control_NN1 measures_NN2 into_PRP place_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 upcoming_AJ0 school_NN1 year_NN1 ._SENT With_PRP the_AT0 delta_NN1 variant_NN1 driving_VVG alarming_AJ0 case_NN1 growth_NN1 here_AV0 and_CJC elsewhere_AV0 ,_PUN it_PNP is_VBZ reckless_AJ0 not_XX0 to_TO0 require_VVI students_NN2 and_CJC staff_NN0 to_TO0 mask_VVI up_AVP ._SENT Again_AV0 ,_PUN the_AT0 vaccine_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX0 yet_AV0 authorized_VVN for_PRP use_NN1 for_PRP children_NN2 under_PRP 12._CRD Masking_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 school_NN1 day_NN1 will_VM0 help_VVI protect_VVI young_AJ0 children_NN2 until_PRP the_AT0 shot_NN1 is_VBZ available_AJ0 ._SENT One_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 COVID_AJ0 vaccines_NN2 —_PUN the_AT0 one_PNI made_VVN by_PRP Pfizer_NP0 —_PUN is_VBZ authorized_VVN for_PRP kids_NN2 ages_NN2 12_CRD through_PRP 17._CRD That_DT0 might_VM0 lead_VVI some_DT0 to_TO0 argue_VVI that_CJT older_AJC students_NN2 do_VDB n't_XX0 need_VVI a_AT0 mask_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC a_AT0 look_NN1 at_PRP state_NN1 vaccination_NN1 data_NN0 quickly_AV0 dispels_VVZ this_DT0 notion_NN1 ._SENT 
