All students, staff, and visitors will be required to wear masks in all Baltimore County Public Schools’ offices, schools, and buildings, effective today, Tuesday, August 10, 2021.
“As we prepare to welcome students and staff back to school for in-person learning, universal masking is an important step to help maintain our community’s health and safety,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “All of us are reminded that although the use of masks is just one layer of protection, it is a crucial one.”
According to BCPS leaders, the universal mask requirement is aligned with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), advice from medical experts at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, and scientific learning about the Delta variant.
If a classmate develops COVID in school, students who are wearing masks and maintaining at least three feet of physical distancing will not be required to quarantine. Adults are encouraged to continue to maintain six-foot physical distancing whenever possible. Unvaccinated adults will be required to quarantine if they come within six feet of an infected person for 15 or more minutes.
During the past three weeks, the cumulative COVID-19 case rate in Baltimore County has risen from 17.04 cases per 100,000 residents to 61.04 cases per 100,000 residents. Baltimore County is now within the CDC’s substantial transmission zone (50-99 cases per 100,000 residents).
“While universal masking supports our overarching goal of keeping students and staff safe, vaccination is still the most effective action we can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Supt. Williams. “We continue to urge everyone eligible to get vaccinated.”
The online Baltimore County Vaccine Hub offers information about vaccine clinics and testing sites throughout the county. Vaccines are offered free-of-charge for those as young as 12 years old at locations including area community centers, high schools, and malls.
