Montgomery County remains on track to lift its indoor mask mandate next week, as health metrics continue moving in the right direction.
The effect on Montgomery County Public Schools, however, is unclear.
County Council members previously agreed with public health officials to lift the indoor mask mandate on Feb. 21 at 11:59 p.m.
MCPS continues to require students and employees to wear masks indoors. The Maryland State Board of Education currently has a statewide mandate for indoor mask use in public schools across the state.
However, Gov. Larry Hogan recently sent the State Board of Education a letter urging it to lift its mandate in public schools.
The State Board of Education is expected to talk more about indoor mask use when it meets on Feb. 22.
County Council Member Andrew Friedson asked on Tuesday if MCPS and county health officials were going to make different recommendations than what might come from the state.
Jimmy D’Andrea, the chief of staff to MCPS Superintendent Monifa McKnight, said district officials will continue to talk to county health officials about potential actions, but they won’t make a final decision until after the State Board of Education says more about the issue.
If the State Board of Education lifts a statewide mandate, local districts still can choose to have their own mask mandate.
The State Board of Education said in a press release that local districts have “off-ramps” to consider when deciding whether to keep indoor masking.
Those are:
- “If at least 80 percent of the county population in the county where the schools are located is fully vaccinated, as reported by [the Maryland Department of Health].”
- “The local superintendent may lift the face covering requirement for a school facility or facilities after a principal or designated school official verifies that 80 percent of the school staff and students in the school facility have been fully vaccinated.”
- “The local superintendent may lift the face covering requirement in schools if the county has sustained 14 consecutive days of moderate or low transmission rate of COVID-19 cases, as reported by the CDC.”
During Tuesday’s County Council meeting, Sean O’Donnell, the public health emergency preparedness manager, said that there still would be guidance for child care facilities once the mandate ends.
He emphasized, however, that the guidance for children returning from a positive COVID-19 test isn’t mandatory. It varies, depending on the age group and vaccination. But staff members and children who test positive are encouraged to isolate themselves for five days, no matter the circumstance.
Children at least 2 years old can return to early child care programs after five days if they are “fever-free” for 24 hours, and if other symptoms have improved, O’Donnell said. They still should wear a mask around others in child care settings for five days.
Council Member Hans Riemer asked about the differences between child care settings in MCPS and private facilities.
Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Earl Stoddard and other officials said MCPS facilities would be subject to forthcoming rules, but private facilities are not required to follow the county’s guidance, including masking for kids testing positive and returning from isolation.
Riemer said county officials should consider using test-to-stay policies in child care settings, similar to what has been discussed in Montgomery County schools. Broadly speaking, he believes county health officials need to be clear about the relative risks for different age groups of kids and adults.
He said he’s heard from students throughout MCPS who want to continue masking, even if the mandate is lifted in schools.
“We’ve got to be able to help our students feel safer … to take these steps towards normalcy,” Riemer said.
Stoddard told council members Tuesday that private schools have never been bound by the county’s local order, and that many have decided to make masks optional. If there are outbreaks within a private school, health officials can change that, to take steps to mitigate the outbreak, he added.
Steve Bohnel can be reached at steve.bohnel@moco360.media
