The Shadow
Beginning Monday, March 7, 2022, the wearing of masks by students on buses and other vehicles operated by Covington City Public Schools will be optional.
This change in guidelines aligns with updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Friday, February 25, 2022, the CDC announced that it’s no longer necessary for people to wear masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs.
Covington City Schools have closely followed guidance from CDC and the Virginia Department of Health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The school division’s goal is to provide our students with an optimal education in a safe and healthy environment.
Although masking will no longer be mandated on our buses and in our buildings, the school division continues to recommend that students and staff to wear masks. The CDC still lists Alleghany County as a high transmission area for the COVID-19 virus and masking has been a key part of an effective mitigation strategy that has helped the school division maintain in-person instruction throughout the current academic year.
Schools will be closed on Thursday, March 3, 2022, and Friday, March 4, 2022. The mask-optional guidance for buses will go into effect when students return to class on Monday, March 7, 2022. Alleghany County Public Schools will enact the same masking guidance for buses on that date.
“Thank you for your continued support as we continue to navigate the changes associated with the pandemic,” Superintendent Melinda Snead Johnson said.
