Temporary Mask Mandate Implemented In Douglas County Schools Due To Omicron Surge

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA — Just a few days into the new semester, the Douglas County School System has implemented a temporary, districtwide mask mandate, officials announced Friday night.

Students returned to the classroom in person last Wednesday, and masks were only required in schools with positive COVID-19 cases at a rate of 5 percent or more.

But starting Monday, all students and staff are now required to wear face coverings in all buildings and on school buses. District officials anticipate the temporary face covering requirement to last for two weeks.

"We understand the level of frustration felt by many and ask everyone to stay focused on learning, and to stay vigilant about hand washing, wearing face coverings and continuing social distancing," the announcement said. "We had no way of knowing without assumption that the increase in community spread would impact Douglas County, to this extreme, as we returned this week with a plan for monitoring cases by school site. "

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Douglas County has a 14-day case rate of 2,688 cases per 100,000 county residents as of Jan. 5 — the same day Douglas County Schools students started school in person. Due to ongoing issues with electronic laboratory reporting, the DPH is still not able to update its COVID-19 daily status report.

District officials told parents to stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks.

"The current COVID-19 conditions remain very fluid amidst the highly contagious omicron variant and within our school system we see a significant increase in positive cases and those who are direct contacts," district officials said. "The current level of community spread combined with the rise in cases that we see within our school system can not be ignored."

Read more: Douglas Schools To Return In Person, With Masks For Some