The City of Moscow removed the mask mandate at last night's City Council Meeting. Individuals that have been vaccinated are no longer required to wear masks in public spaces in the city although some businesses may continue to require masks. The CDC has recommended that students continue to wear masks throughout the rest of the 2020-2021 school year. Vaccines have only recently been available to students age 12 and older. Since most of our students have not been vaccinated and only our middle school students have this opportunity, and won’t be fully vaccinated before the school year ends, we will continue to wear masks during the school day. We stay committed to keeping our students healthy and safe.

CDC Recommendations:

CDC recommends schools continue to use the COVID-19 prevention strategies outlined in the current version of CDC’s Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools for at least the remainder of the 2020-2021 academic school year.

Key Points

· CDC recommends schools continue to use the current COVID-19 prevention strategies for the 2020-2021 school year.

· Evidence suggests that many K-12 schools that have strictly implemented prevention strategies have been able to safely open for in-person instruction and remain open.

· CDC’s K-12 operational strategy presents a pathway for schools to provide in-person instruction safely through consistent use of prevention strategies, including universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing.

· All schools should implement and layer prevention strategies and should prioritize universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing.

· Testing to identify individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination for teachers and staff provide additional layers of COVID-19 protection in schools.

CDC will update its guidance for schools in the coming weeks. Updated guidance can inform school planning for the 2021-2022 academic year.