By John Matthews
WASHINGTON – (WMAL) As COVID case levels continue to fall, more jurisdictions are going mask-optional in the DC area. The Montgomery County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to lift the mask order for schools, effective immediately, though school officials were quick to warn that they will continue to monitor virus metrics and be prepared to respond to changes as needed.
Montgomery’s flip leaves only DC and Prince George’s County Schools with mask mandates in the region, and they may both soon make the switch to mask optional as well.
DC Health released updated school guidelines on Tuesday, recommending that masks be mandated only when the city is facing high COVID transmission. With that guidance, Mayor Muriel Bowser said that will enable child care providers to lift their mandates, and leave the door open for DC schools to do the same, though Chancellor Lewis Ferebee says the mandate will remain for now.
Prince George’s County’s COVID-19 emergency is set to expire Wednesday evening at 5 pm. Nothing will change with that passage, as the county dropped its mask mandate on February 28th. However schools in the county continue to require that masks be worn for now.
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