PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The state of Oregon will require students and staff in K-12 schools to wear masks indoors, Governor Kate Brown’s office announced in a statement today.

The decision follows both a recent spike in Oregon’s COVID-19 cases and newly updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The science and data are clear: the Delta variant is in our communities, and it is more contagious,” Brown said in a release. “In the meantime, as we ask Oregonians statewide to mask up in public indoor spaces, we will continue working hard to vaccinate more people so we can finally beat this virus once and for all. Vaccines remain the most effective and best way to protect ourselves and our families.”

Earlier this week, the Oregon Health Authority recommended the use of masks indoors – even for vaccinated people.