Noe Ortega

On today’s program: State Education Secretary Noe Ortega says the department can’t mandate masks, but is urging schools to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the spread of COVID-19; a look at one family’s struggle to care for their son’s medical needs when there’s a shortage of in-home nursing care; and WESA’s arts and culture reporter Bill O’Driscoll gives an update on how performance are phasing in COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

State health and education officials visited Mount Lebanon High School Monday to mark the first day of classes there. All Mount Lebanon schools are requiring masks for teachers, staff and students. The district also is working with vaccine providers to host vaccine clinics on district property.