The Berrien County Board of Health is supporting a mask mandate for schools heading into the new academic year. Speaking to the board Wednesday, Berrien County Interim Health Officer Courtney Davis said with increasing COVID numbers, it’s become clear strategies for reducing transmission are needed in schools.
Davis said requiring masks in schools will be a way to ensure kids stay in schools rather than having to spend time at home because they are quarantined or because their building is closed.
The mask rule applies to all adults and students when indoors. It’s for K through 12 students. Board members cited the economic and health tolls COVID has taken among the hardest hit populations as another reason for supporting a mask mandate to reduce COVID cases. The mask mandate will be tied to the number of COVID cases seen in the community.
The Berrien County Board of Health approved a resolution supporting a mask rule should the Berrien County Health Department issue one.
