As COVID cases rise, Wake may require masks at recess and test unvaccinated athletes
The Wake County school system is considering tougher new COVID measures, such as requiring that face masks be worn outdoors and regular testing of unvaccinated student-athletes and school employees.
In an update sent Wednesday to families, Wake said new measures may be needed because of a “steep rise” in COVID cases reported this week with the return of traditional-calendar students. School officials said steps such as requiring that face masks be worn outdoors may help reduce how many students are quarantined if they’re exposed to an infected person.
“We appreciate this is not the start to a new school year that many envisioned or anyone wanted,” the school system posted. “However, we are confident that full compliance and stricter measures will allow students to participate in the types of school activities that would otherwise be jeopardized by the Delta variant of COVID-19.
“If our cases quickly level or fall, we might avoid the additional guidance that is under review. It is also possible cases will continue to increase through no fault of schools if the variant increases its spread off campus.”
Measures under review include:
▪ Regular COVID-19 testing for all student-athletes. Wake says students who show proof of vaccination wouldn’t have to be tested. Wake is citing statewide data from the ABC Science Collaborative and preliminary data collected by the district suggesting that the delta variant spreads even more effectively during athletic activities.
▪ Regular COVID-19 testing for all employees. Wake says employees who show proof of vaccination wouldn’t have to be tested. Wake is citing studies showing the delta variant is more likely to affect adults who are not vaccinated.
The school board will also discuss the testing of student athletes and employees at its Sept. 7 meeting. Wake says a large majority of staff and an estimated 60% of students ages 12 to 17 are vaccinated.
Masks during recess, athletics?
▪ A requirement that all individuals wear face coverings indoors and outdoors on school campuses. This would include recess, athletics and extracurricular activities.
Wake says outdoor masking is being considered to reduce quarantines so that schools can increase daily in-person instruction to as many students as possible. Wake is citing state health guidance that says a student without a face covering is considered to be a close contact to an infected individual, which could produce dozens of quarantined students.
If masking is required outdoors, Wake says scheduled mask breaks would be needed.
Wake had originally required masks be worn indoors and outdoors last school year until the state lifted the requirement for outdoor masking. This school year, the state is only recommending that school districts require masking indoors in schools.
COVID cases soar in schools
The delta variant has led to a spike in cases in Wake County and throughout North Carolina. The delta variant is three times more contagious than the original strain.
In July, Wake reported 148 positive cases among staff and students. In August, before traditional calendar schools opened, those same schools reported more than 500 positive cases.
Wake had nine schools with active COVID clusters in the state report released Tuesday. That weekly report doesn’t reflect the impact of the traditional-calendar schools.
“Now that traditional-calendar schools are open, more than 140 cases were reported in the first two days of this week,” Wake said. “This is happening because people infected with the Delta variant are more contagious than last year.”
The return of traditional-calendar schools on Monday means the 160,000-student district has more people on campus than any time since the pandemic started.
Wake to crack down on face mask compliance
In addition to the measures under review, Wake said some steps are being taken now.
Schools are being asked to identify as many indoor and outdoor eating options as possible. Wake is citing how the delta variant is less likely to be transmitted outdoors, especially when students are distanced.
“Some schools have already made changes to reduce the density of people during lunch time,” Wake said. “Future changes may also involve different indoor eating areas.”
Wake is also cracking down on schools that have COVID-19 clusters, which are defined by the state as five or more cases within a 14-day period. Wake says those school will be required to monitor and report compliance with face covering guidelines.
“The goal of a compliance program is straightforward,” Wake said. “Decades of research show that compliance improves when behavior is monitored. Health experts tell us this one change can predictably reduce the number of positive cases in a school.”
This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 5:35 PM.
