JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — The Fox C-6 School Board voted to require masks for everyone inside school buildings during times of high transmission of COVID-19 in Jefferson County.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the district adopted a revised COVID-19 mitigation plan for 2021-22 school year to include a mask requirement for all people inside district buildings or attending district events when Jefferson County is in red or orange indicator status.
Red status indicates high community transmission of the virus throughout the county while orange indicates significant transmission. The thresholds are based on CDC guidelines.
In July, the county increased to orange staus for the first time since April. In the weeks since then, the county has increased to the red status. In the most recent update from the health department, the region was still in the red status.
The district said the plan will be reevaluated in 30 days.
The mitigation plan is similar to CDC guidance from July. The agency said even vaccinated people should return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
It cited new information about the ability of the delta variant to spread among vaccinated people. The CDC also recommended indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.