One of Kansas City area’s last holdout districts is finally dropping school mask rule
One of Kansas City’s last school districts to continue requiring students to wear COVID-19 masks will drop the mandate on Monday.
Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools announced on Friday that the mandate will end now that Wyandotte County is in a lower risk category for COVID-19. The Kansas City region has seen cases steeply decline since record highs this past winter.
COVID-19 infection rates started ticking upward once again in the Kansas City area earlier this month, fueled by BA.2 cases, but hospitals had yet to see an influx of patients. The Star previously reported that the strain is unlikely to cause a wave as large as previous variants.
“Public health officials recommend that anyone with severe medical conditions, symptoms, possible exposure or a positive COVID-19 test wear a mask,” school district officials wrote in a news release. “Our district respects that some students and staff may choose to continue to wear masks for personal, safety, or other health reasons. Please be respectful and supportive of all choices.”
Many major school districts across Kansas City dropped their mask mandates earlier this year as cases started to decline. In February, officials in Kansas City, Missouri, allowed the health order mandating masks in schools within city limits to expire. Kansas City Public Schools, one of the few districts that was left with a universal mask requirement, later dropped its mandate.
“As a reminder,” KCK district officials said Friday, “we recommend that all families and staff monitor themselves for potential symptoms, such as new cough, headache, congestion, fever, and/or sore throat.”
“Please stay home if you develop symptoms and contact your supervisor, building nurse, or principal. We will continue to work closely with the Unified Government Public Health Department to address concerns related to COVID-19. The district will be prepared to reinstate a mask requirement if needed.”
