Moscow School Board makes masks optional

Citing updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Moscow School Board voted to remove its mask requirement in school facilities beginning Monday during an emergency meeting Saturday evening.

Moscow School District Superintendent Greg Bailey said the new expiration date makes sense based on the latest information.

 “We have followed the CDC throughout, so why would we not at this point?” Bailey said.

The mandate was originally set to expire April 7, but the school board voted 3-2 last week to move the deadline up a few weeks to March 12 after local COVID-19 cases dipped into the single digits.

Bailey said he discussed the situation with Public Health – Idaho North Central District Director Carol Moehrle, who supported the changes. He added Dr. Summer Day, pediatric medical director at Gritman Medical Center, was also understanding of the decision.

“Our cases are minimal — the smallest that we’ve had,” Bailey said. “I just don’t see why we wouldn’t do this.”

School board member Brian Kennedy addressed the timing of the latest recommendations.

“You can imagine where an inquisitive, attentive student shows up to school on Monday having listened to the CDC guidelines,” Kennedy said. “I think it puts our teachers in a position of having to answer questions that they shouldn’t have to answer.”

He noted the district’s commitment to making science-based decisions for the duration of the pandemic. Kennedy was reelected for another four-year term on the board last November.

“I want to stress that we have adhered to CDC recommendations through now,” he said. “I hope we continue to, so if we get into the high-risk area – we’re acknowledging that masks are a useful tool in the toolbox.”

Rather than relying on case numbers alone, the CDC’s new guidelines recommend relying on COVID-19-related hospital admissions, the number of beds filled by COVID-19 patients and new cases per 100,000 people. Counties can use these factors to determine whether their local risk is high, medium or low.

Only areas with high risk should consider requiring masks, according to the guidelines.

“Because children are relatively at lower risk for severe illness, schools can be safe places for children,” Dr. Greta Massetti, senior scientist at the CDC, said Friday. “For that reason, we’re recommending that schools use the same guidance that we are recommending in general community settings.”

In addition to making masks optional, face coverings are also no longer required on school buses.

Palermo can be reached at apalermo@dnews.com or on Twitter @apalermotweets.