May 14, 2021, 4:30 PM
Email from LSR7 District
Dear LSR7 School Community:
The Jackson County Health Department (JCHD) announced this afternoon that public health orders mandating mask-wearing in our county have expired.
According to JCHD, the announcement follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) revision to its guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. The new guidance states that individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can fully resume activities, both indoor or outdoor, large or small, without wearing a mask or social distancing. Exceptions to this new guidance include health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and public transportation.
In compliance with the expired health orders, masks will no longer be required in the LSR7 school district, pre-K-adult, regardless of vaccination status. However, the CDC and JCHD continue to strongly recommend that all individuals who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear masks, and we encourage all in our school community to adhere to public health recommendations. Fully vaccinated individuals are defined as people who have reached 14 days after their second Pfizer or Moderna shot or the Johnson & Johnson shot.
It is important to share that county orders give businesses and organizations the ability to set their own mask requirements. While cases are low in the LSR7 district currently, the district may need to reevaluate its mask requirements should cases spike in the opposite direction. Masks will continue to be required for all students and adults on school buses, per county directives. Those who aren’t fully vaccinated and are identified as a contact of a positive case are still required to quarantine for 14 days.
These new county mask protocols take effect immediately.
We thank you for your cooperation and support as we respond to the expiration of county public health orders. We will continue to communicate with you promptly as we receive new information.
Best,
Katy Bergen
Executive Director of Public Relations
