No More Mask Mandate In Jeffco Public Schools: What To Know

ARVADA, CO — The Jefferson County Public Health Department allowed its countywide mask mandate to lapse on Friday at midnight. Now, preschool to high school students, staff and visitors will no longer be required to wear a mask in school or during school activities or athletics. Masks are still required on buses, in accordance with federal law.

This decision comes as COVID-19 conditions are improving and expected to continue to improve, officials said in a news release. The seven-day moving average of new cases and hospitalizations have both dropped, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

County health officials also cited "effective prevention measures available to our schools and community — including the availability of high-quality masks for those who choose to wear one, rapid testing, good ventilation, and having people stay home when they are sick," as components that contributed to the decision to allow the mask mandate to expire, according to the news release.

However, the county health department said in the news release that, though they are no longer required, masks are still "highly encouraged."

Several methods of COVID-19 prevention are still in place across the district, according to the news release, including enhanced sanitization, frequent hand-washing, increased ventilation and filtration and access to KN95 masks for those who want them. County health officials also reiterated the importance of students and staff staying home when they feel sick.