Atlanta Public Schools will require masks for all students and employees when the fall semester begins on Aug. 5, school officials said Thursday.
The school system will require masks in all of its facilities, including all indoor after-school activities and programs, according to the announcement posted on the district’s webpage. The order will also extend to school buses, locker rooms, meetings, and other indoor settings, Superintendent Lisa Herring said.
“Mask Up APS! Healthy and safe learning environments for our students is a top priority. As school starts back, @apsupdate will continue to require masks for students and staff,” Herring tweeted on Thursday morning.
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Mask Up APS! Healthy and safe learning environments for our students is a top priority. As school starts back, @apsupdate will continue to require masks for students and staff. Don’t Wait. Vaccinate. Learn more about our mask wearing protocol here below! pic.twitter.com/hYP4PGn13m
— Dr. Lisa Herring (@DrLisaHerring) July 22, 2021
Nearly 18% of the district’s students age 12 and older, who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, are fully vaccinated, according to APS officials, while roughly 58% of district employees are vaccinated.
“Consistent and correct use of mask-wearing has been shown to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” the district said in its announcement.
Masks will be optional for students during recess, physical education, outdoor clubs and programs, and outdoor activities after school.
Roughly 20 miles outside of the APS district, Cobb County and Marietta City schools will not require students to wear masks in school facilities or on buses.
Marietta City Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera said the district’s decision was based on data the district gathered showing COVID-19 transmission among students is low.
“As we consider each family’s ability to determine what is best for their child in terms of personal comfort and learning dynamics, our goal is to strike the right balance between safety, science, teaching, and learning,” Rivera said in a statement on Tuesday.
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The Peach State has reported 10,122 new COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days, according to data from the Georgia Department of Health. At least 1,258 cases were confirmed on Thursday.
