Accomack County Public Schools issued the following announcement on Feb. 19
On Wednesday, February 16, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed Senate Bill 739 into law. It removes all school mask requirements in Virginia effective March 1, 2022. As a result, Accomack County Public Schools will transition to a mask-optional learning environment for all students in our buildings on February 22, 2022. However, we strongly encourage mask wearing as a key mitigation strategy in our efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community. We will continue to follow the CDC quarantine guidelines which state that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will quarantine for five days and will be required to wear a mask at school on days 6-10. The same rules apply to unvaccinated close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases. In making this transition, we will focus on maintaining a positive and welcoming learning environment.
It is important to note that Senate Bill 739 does not apply to students on school buses. Federal regulations still require students to continue wearing masks while riding the bus. At this time, all staff members will also be required to wear masks in our buildings per Virginia Department of Labor and Industry guidelines, as will all visitors. We will monitor these regulations and guidelines for any changes or updates.
As a school division, we will continue to review and update our mitigation strategies to keep our staff and students safe and our schools open. As always, thank you for your flexibility, support, and understanding as we navigate the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Original source can be found here.
