Mask mandates for New Albany & Union County School Districts to Expire

Mask mandates for the New Albany and Union County School Districts will expire on Friday, September 17. School district leadership met during the week of September 7th to review data and discuss procedures going forward.

The districts will fully return to their joint transmission plan on Monday, September 20. Transmission plan data will continue to be reviewed weekly and reported each Friday. If data suggests, individual schools may be placed under mask requirements to follow the procedures set forth in the transmission plan.

“We appreciate everyone’s cooperation for the past three weeks with the mask mandates,” said Dr. Lance Evans, Superintendent of New Albany Schools. “The masks helped tremendously in keeping our students and staff safe and our schools in full operation.”

Union County School District data reveals that an estimated 300 students were exempt from quarantines due to the mask mandates between August 20-September 2. During the mask mandates, the New Albany School District saw the percentage of quarantined students drop from 28% to 1.41%.

School district leadership stressed the procedures surrounding quarantines. The three factors that determine quarantine when identified as a close contact of positive case of COVID:

• Wearing mask, no symptoms – NO quarantine
• Fully vaccinated, no symptoms – NO quarantine (Requires Proof of Full Vaccination)
• No mask, no vaccine-QUARANTINE

“We are pleased with the direction of the current data in our districts,” said Russell Taylor, Superintendent of Union County School District. “At this time, we feel we are able to follow our data and the mitigation measures called for in our transmission plan for each individual school based upon that data.”

The school districts are committed to keeping students and staff healthy, safe, and in schools. To prevent quarantines, school administration still highly recommends the wearing of masks. This keeps our students in school and participating in athletics and extracurricular activities.

In the event there is a large surge in numbers in our school districts, mask mandates may be considered again for the protection of our students, staff, and community members.

School district procedures state that students and staff who are fully vaccinated and/or wearing masks will not be quarantined if they are a close contact of a positive case unless they show symptoms.

Melanie Shannon
Coordinator
New Albany Schools
“Preparing ALL for Success”