The Peru Gazette

Plattsburgh, February 28, 2022. Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to end the state mask requirement in schools beginning March 2, 2022. Clinton County Health Department (CCHD) leadership, community partners, and school superintendents met Monday to determine the best course of action for Clinton County. 

As of last update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified Clinton County as having a ‘High COVID-19 Community Level”. “To determine the community level, the CDC looks at a combination of three metrics,” explained Debra Tackett, Interim Director of Public Health at CCHD. “New COVID-19 admissions (per 100,000 population in the past 7 days), the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and the total new COVID-19 cases (per 100,000 population in the past 7 days).” 

That means the CDC continues to recommend residents in Clinton County wear a mask indoors in public, including school environments; stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines; and seek testing if they have symptoms. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html) 

“The result from today’s collaborative planning session was that though masks are strongly recommended by CCHD, they will no longer be required in school settings,” stated Ms. Tackett. “Masks have been one of the most important tools in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and we support students, faculty, and staff who choose to continue wearing them but they are not our only tool at this time.” 

As a reminder, current guidance from New York State indicates that people who test positive for COVID-19 (whether using a lab-processed or an at-home test) must isolate for at least 5 complete days. After leaving their isolation, they must continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days. This means those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are returning to a school setting prior to day 10 must wear a mask. 

CCHD encourages parents to get their students vaccinated. Vaccination provides the best protection against COVID-19. “The higher the vaccination rate in the school, the lower the risk of an outbreak,” added Ms. Tackett. “This means not only keeping the kids healthy and in school, but allowing them to do so without the requirement of mask wearing.” 

“As has been the case throughout the pandemic, circumstances and guidance can change based on many different factors. This could mean we have to revisit this guidance in the future,” noted Ms. Tackett. “For example, if we see outbreaks in certain schools or classrooms, mask requirements may need to be in place for a period of time to slow the spread of that particular outbreak.”