The VDH order set to expire on July 25 mandates masking in all K-12 schools when students are around, regardless of a person’s vaccination status.
One figure MCPS officials shared this past week is that just under three-quarters of all district staff are vaccinated. That figure is based on appointments, said Director of Student Services and Safety Jason Garretson.
Several school board members raised questions about mitigation measures for the upcoming school year.
School officials Tuesday highlighted that a vaccination requirement has not been placed on the table so far.
School board members also talked about the challenges of enforcing masking.
Board member Penny Franklin raised concerns about challenges in ensuring that unvaccinated individuals are wearing masks.
“That does become a large task,” Garretson said in response to discussions about verifying vaccination statuses. “Absolutely the work load is there. [But] do you have a super reliable team at your building levels? Yes, you do.”
Board member Mark Cherbaka said he’s hoping for professionalism among staff regarding masking and their vaccination statuses.
“If you’re not vaccinated, you need to wear a mask,” he said.
