YOUNGSTOWN - Hundreds of students and staff members at schools in the six-county Youngstown Diocese will be required to wear masks when classes resume this fall.

The Diocese announced on Friday that it is requiring universal masking by both students and adults indoors in all school buildings during the school day.

The mandate, which includes K-12 students, staff, visitors, as well as morning and aftercare, is effective immediately.

A statement from the Diocese says the decision is based on the rapid spread of the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

“Currently the CDC regards almost all of the counties in the state as areas of high-risk, threatening the health of the unvaccinated among us, including children under the age of 12.  The quarantine and isolation rules for exposure in schools must be followed,” according to the statement.

Enrollment figures for this school year have not been released. Last year there were more than 6,400 students in schools of the Youngstown Diocese.

Diocesan officials say the decision will be reviewed in mid-September following data from the schools and local health departments, the Ohio Department of Health, and the CDC.

The revised COVID-19 plan for the Diocese of Youngstown Schools can be found at www.doy.org under the media.