Pennsylvania Masking Order
Important Information About the Pennsylvania Department of Health
School Masking Order
  • On August 31, 2021, Pennsylvania’s Acting Secretary of Health signed an Order requiring face coverings to be worn in all school entities, including school districts, brick and mortar and cyber charter schools, private and parochial schools, career and technical centers, intermediate units, and early learning and other child care settings, effective Tuesday, September 7, 2021.
  • The order spells out specific exemptions to wearing face coverings – including playing instruments. You may want to make your administrators aware of this language.
  • Mitigation strategies are available for the music classroom. Download a poster for your classroom or to share with your administrators, students, and community members about ways to make music with COVID-19 precautions in mind. This poster has been updated to reflect updated guidance from July 2021.
  • Instrument bell covers and a three foot distance is still recommended in addition to other mitigation guidance.
If you have questions or need specific assistance, you can always reach out to us at advocacy@pmea.net