Centre County is now in the CDC’s medium COVID-19 level. Where you’ll still need to wear a mask
Centre County on Thursday moved from the high to medium level of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s new community transmission scale.
The CDC does not recommend indoor masking for communities at the medium level, which prompted some immediate changes around Centre County, including State College announcing Friday morning that its mask mandate is no longer in effect. Patton Township’s masking ordinance is also no longer in effect due to the move to the medium level.
In the medium level, the CDC recommends that people who are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease talk to their health care provider about whether they’ll still need to wear a mask and take other precautions.
Community levels are determined by new COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital bed availability and new cases. Eight counties in Pennsylvania are still considered high risk for community transmission: Schuylkill, Northumberland, Montour, Union, Snyder, Mifflin, Juniata and Huntingdon.
Mount Nittany Health’s COVID dashboard reported 8 COVID hospitalizations Friday, down from 20 patients on March 1.
Here’s a look at some places you’ll still need a mask:
- While Penn State is relaxing its masking requirement starting Monday, masks are still required in high-density areas, such as classrooms, labs and creative spaces. The new policy applies to all campuses except the College of Medicine and Penn State Schuylkill, where masks are still required.
- State College Area School district’s mask mandate is still in place. The district released a plan in February that included March 28 as the proposed end of the mask requirement and has a work session scheduled for March 17 to discuss the changes with the health and safety team.
- Centre County Correctional Facility will still require masks for visitors.
- Mount Nittany Health, Geisinger and Penn State Health are still requiring masks for patients and visitors. Penn State Health is requiring “a medical-grade surgical, N95 or KN95 mask” and will provide surgical masks if necessary, according to its website. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says that patients and visitors should follow CDC recommendations, which requires masks with very few exceptions.