OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Oshkosh School district is joining the growing list of large northeast Wisconsin districts that are going mask-optional.
The school district announced that, beginning Feb. 26, face coverings will be optional for students. District leaders cited declining COVID-19 case rates and access to vaccines for everyone age 5 and older. A vaccine clinic is set for Feb. 21 at Merrill Middle School.
Face coverings will still be required for all students and staff while on district transportation per federal order.
Face masks could be temporarily required again if:
- Elementary School: If any elementary classroom has one or more active positive cases of COVID-19, face coverings will be required to be worn by students and staff in the impacted classroom while in school for 10 calendar days. This requirement will also be in place for elementary after school programs that have one or more active cases.
- Middle and High School: If any middle or high school reaches a point where 2% or more of the student population are considered active positive COVID-19 cases on the district’s weekly monitoring dashboard, face coverings will be required to be worn by everyone inside the facility for 10 calendar days. This includes all extra-curricular activities, including participants and spectators, on school property.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalization numbers in Wisconsin have cratered in the past two weeks. There are fewer than 900 people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Wisconsin. It was just last month that Wisconsin had over 2,200 people in the hospital with the virus.
