BUSD Students Urged To Mask Up

BERKELEY, CA — A new Omicron subvariant has triggered an uptick in cases, and Berkeley’s top educator is urging students to take precautions.

Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Brent Stephens issued a statement Friday noted that the BA.2 subvariant-fueled surge has not reached levels seen earlier this year amid an Omicron surge, and he said he’d like to keep it that way.

“Graduation is an important milestone for our students, and for many in the Class of 2022, something they have looked forward to for quite some time,” Stephens said.

“I am writing today to ask that all of us increase our COVID-19 risk mitigation efforts at this time, especially masking and testing, so we can slow the spread of COVID-19 and lower the likelihood of students testing positive prior to their graduation ceremonies.”

Stephens acknowledged that the BUSD has seen an uptick in cases in many of the district’s schools.

He is urging students to mask up at school and other large gatherings, and in indoor spaces. He’s also encouraging students to take advantage of the BUSD’s free testing program.

Berkeley has among the nation’s highest vaccination rates, with 93 percent of its eligible population fully vaccinated and 79 percent boosted, according to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard.

“We have no plans to cancel graduation events. However, individual students who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate at home for at least five days, and possibly as long as ten days if their symptoms do not improve and they do not test negative on or after Day 5 of isolation,” Stephens said.

“This isolation period could prevent a student from attending a graduation ceremony.”