2022

"Is it safe to lift indoor mask rules at California schools?"


The Los Angeles Times interviewed Dr. Robert Kim-Farley about California’s decision to lift a statewide mask rule in K-12 schools after March 11.

Two elementary students with masks, sitting at table

Public health officials say California’s strict coronavirus policies in schools in recent months have resulted in relatively few pandemic-related campus closures.

Moreover, California’s rates of pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations are the lowest among the nation’s six most populous states, health experts said.

So why have they decided to lift a statewide mask rule in K-12 schools after March 11, allowing schools to decide for themselves?

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Faculty Referenced by this Article

Robert Kim-Farley
Robert J. Kim-Farley

Robert J. Kim-Farley, MD, MPH, is a Professor-in-Residence with joint appointments in the Departments of Epidemiology and Community Health Sciences

Community Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Naomi Greene
Naomi Greene
Epidemiology
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Dr. Beate Ritz
Beate Ritz
Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Annette Regan
Epidemiology
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Jonathan Jacobs
Jonathan Jacobs
Epidemiology
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Roberta Malmgren
Epidemiology
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Paul Simon Headshot
Paul Simon
Epidemiology
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DerSarkissian, Maral
Maral DerSarkissian
Epidemiology
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Anne Coleman
Anne Coleman
Epidemiology
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Tony Kuo
Tony Kuo
Epidemiology
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Wendelin Slusser
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Samuel Stratton
Samuel Stratton
Community Health Sciences
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Dana Hunnes
Dana Hunnes
Community Health Sciences
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Nicole Hoff
Epidemiology
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Ximena Vergara
Ximena Vergara
Epidemiology
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Charlotte Neumann
Charlotte G. Neumann
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Elizabeth Yzquierdo
Elizabeth Yzquierdo
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Michael Rodriguez
Michael Rodriguez
Community Health Sciences
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James Macinko
James Macinko

Professor of Community Health Sciences & Health Policy and Management, and Associate Dean for Research

Community Health Sciences Health Policy and Management
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Kimberly Gregory
Kimberly Gregory
Community Health Sciences
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Amy Wohl
Epidemiology
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Leeka I. Kheifets
Epidemiology
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sheena sullivan photo
Sheena G. Sullivan
Epidemiology
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Elizabeth Rose Mayeda photo
Elizabeth Rose Mayeda
Epidemiology
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Pamina Gorbach
Pamina Gorbach
Epidemiology
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Jian Li
Jian Li
Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Ralph R. Frerichs, 12/25/21
Ralph R. Frerichs
Epidemiology
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Jennifer A. Wagman
Jennifer A. Wagman
Community Health Sciences
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Natalie Muth
Community Health Sciences
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Marjorie Kagawa-Singer
Marjorie Kagawa-Singer
Community Health Sciences
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Marissa J. Seamans
Marissa Seamans
Epidemiology
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Dr. Jessica Gipson
Jessica Gipson
Community Health Sciences
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Dallas Swendeman
Epidemiology
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Dr. Brian Bradbury
Brian Bradbury
Epidemiology
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Kelika Konda
Epidemiology
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Matthew Mimiaga
Matthew J. Mimiaga
Epidemiology
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Dr. Paul Hsu
Paul Hsu
Epidemiology
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halbert, ronald
Ronald Halbert
Community Health Sciences
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Akihiro Nishi Headshot
Akihiro Nishi
Epidemiology
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Julia Heck
Julia Heck
Epidemiology
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Dr. Anne Pebley
Anne Pebley
Community Health Sciences
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Aziz, Najib headshot_2023
Najib Aziz
Epidemiology
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Noel Weiss
Epidemiology
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Dr. Timothy Brewer
Timothy Brewer
Epidemiology
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glik, deborah
Deborah Glik
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Marjan Javanbakht
Marjan Javanbakht
Epidemiology
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Dr. Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez
Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez
Community Health Sciences
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Karin Michels
Karin B. Michels
Epidemiology
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Peter Katona
Epidemiology
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Sheba George
Community Health Sciences
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Kimberley Shoaf
Community Health Sciences
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Dawn Upchurch
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. May Sudhinaraset
May Sudhinaraset
Community Health Sciences
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Bo-Kyung Elizabeth Kim headshot.png
Bo-Kyung Elizabeth Kim
Community Health Sciences
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Courtney Thomas Tobin headshot.png
Courtney S. Thomas Tobin
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Michael Goldstein
Michael Goldstein
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Donald Morisky
Donald E. Morisky
Community Health Sciences
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Verissimio headshot
Angie Otiniano Verissimo
Community Health Sciences
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Jian Yu Rao
Epidemiology
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Peter R. Kerndt
Epidemiology
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Sung-Jae Lee
Sung-Jae Lee
Epidemiology
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Dr. Judith M. Siegel
Judith M. Siegel
Community Health Sciences
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Dena Herman
Dena Herman
Community Health Sciences
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Roch Nianogo
Roch A. Nianogo
Epidemiology
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Woman dressed in blue and wearing pearls and eye glasses
Lisa V. Smith
Epidemiology
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Dr. Dvora Joseph Davey
Dvora Joseph Davey

Dr. Joseph Davey is an infectious disease epidemiologist with over 20 years' experience leading research on HIV/STI services for women and children.

Epidemiology
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Teresa Ellen Seeman
Epidemiology
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Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh
Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh
Epidemiology
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Dr. Liwei Chen
Liwei Chen

Professor in Epidemiology

Epidemiology
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Jørn Olsen
Epidemiology
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Dr. Alina Dorian
Alina Dorian
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Dana Rose Garfin
Dana Rose Garfin
Community Health Sciences
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Onyebuchi Arah headshot
Onyebuchi A. Arah
Epidemiology
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Lawrence Ash
Epidemiology
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Catherine Carpenter
Epidemiology
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Dr. Shira Shafir
Shira Shafir
Community Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Cathy Lang
Cathy Lang

Assistant Dean for Research & Adjunct Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences

Community Health Sciences
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Alexandra Binder Headshot
Alexandra Binder
Epidemiology
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Paula Tavrow
Paula Tavrow
Community Health Sciences
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Su Yong Jung
Su Yon Jung
Epidemiology
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Dr. Randall Kuhn
Randall Kuhn
Community Health Sciences
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Haroutune Armenian
Haroutune Armenian
Epidemiology
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Virginia C. Li
Virginia C. Li
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Zuo-Feng Zhang
Zuo-Feng Zhang
Epidemiology
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Christie Jeon
Epidemiology
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Dr. Gilbert Gee
Gilbert C. Gee
Community Health Sciences
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Nathan Wong
Nathan D. Wong
Epidemiology
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Ondine S. von Ehrenstein
Community Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Bailley, Julia
Julia Bailey
Epidemiology
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Frank J. Sorvillo
Epidemiology
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Sander Greenland
Sander Greenland
Epidemiology
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Ilan H. Meyer
Ilan H. Meyer
Community Health Sciences
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Philip Massey headshot
Philip Massey
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Michael Prelip
Michael Prelip
Community Health Sciences
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Otoniel Martinez-Maza
Otoniel Martinez-Maza
Epidemiology
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May Wang headshot
May C. Wang
Community Health Sciences
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David Eisenman
David Eisenman
Community Health Sciences
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Dr. Elizabeth D'Amico
Elizabeth D’Amico
Community Health Sciences
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Jody Heymann
Jody Heymann
Epidemiology Health Policy and Management
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Vonthanak Saphonn
Epidemiology
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Susan Cochran
Susan Cochran
Epidemiology
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Sarah Blenner
Sarah Blenner

Director of Field Studies and Applied Professional Training

Community Health Sciences
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Niklas Krause
Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology
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Dr. Roger Detels
Roger Detels
Epidemiology
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Nina Harawa
Epidemiology
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Hashibe, Mia
Mia Hashibe
Epidemiology
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N/A
Epidemiology
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Dr. Chandra Ford
Chandra Ford
Community Health Sciences
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Paul Dluzniewski
Epidemiology
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Dr. Anne Rimoin
Anne Rimoin
Epidemiology
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