Tag: Mask Mandate

West Virginia University Lifts Mask Requirements In Classrooms

West Virginia University is lifting COVID-19 mask requirements in its classrooms and labs regardless of a person’s vaccination status.

The university said in a news release that the change is effective Tuesday. Last month WVU lifted a mask requirement in most indoor spaces.

Active virus cases statewide have fallen below 2,000 for the first time since last July, according to the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ COVID-19 dashboard.

Masks will continue to be required through March 18 on university buses and the personal rapid transit system.

Students, staff and visitors in designated areas of the Health Sciences Center where patient care services are provided also will be required to continue wearing masks.

The statement said that in preparation for spring break next week, students and employees on the Morgantown campus can pick up a free antigen self-test kit this week at certain locations.

West Virginia University Draws Back Mask Requirements

West Virginia University is lifting some of its masking requirements put in place to combat COVID-19 as the number of virus cases in the state is decreasing.

University officials announced Wednesday that masks will no longer be required in most indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.

The university will still require masks in classrooms, labs and on-campus buses. Students and staff in health science fields and those who work with patients will still be required to wear masks indoors.

“At the start of this semester, given what we knew about the emerging omicron variant, we felt it was crucial to implement several measures to limit the potential spread of COVID-19, including a universal mask requirement,” Dr. Jeffrey Coben, dean of the School of Public Health and associate vice president for Health Affairs, said in a news release. “With numerous key data sources now indicating that cases are significantly declining across the state and within our community, we feel comfortable relaxing the mask requirements.”

W.Va. County Extends Mask Mandate Through School Year

Students and staff in a county in southwestern West Virginia will likely be wearing masks in the classroom until the end of the school year.

The Cabell County Board of Education voted earlier this week to expand its universal indoor mask mandate through June 7, the date of the first board meeting after students have finished school for the year, the Herald-Dispatch reports.

“The measures that we put into place have been effective in making sure our schools are not superspreaders,” Superintendent Ryan Saxe said, according to the newspaper.

The policy is subject to change, based on the changing public health situation, officials said.

As of last month, around two-thirds of West Virginia county school districts required masks in schools — 35 out of 55, according to the state Department of Education. Most others had policies that trigger a mask requirement if cases in the state or school community reach a certain threshold.

W.Va. House Considers Bill Prohibiting Mask Mandates In Schools

The West Virginia House of Delegates is considering a bill that would prohibit public K-12 schools and county boards of education from mandating masks for its students and employees.

The House Education Committee passed HB 4071 after about an hour of discussion Wednesday afternoon.

The bill would create the Parent and Student Health Rights Act, which would prohibit West Virginia public schools, the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, and any appointed or elected county school officials from requiring masks.

The bill would also prohibit any COVID-19 testing or quarantine requirements, unless a student or employee is actively showing symptoms of the coronavirus. Parents or guardians would have the sole authority on whether a child should be masked.

“I’ve heard overwhelmingly from my district. I’ve heard overwhelmingly from all of the interested parties discussed here today, and I think it’s time to empower parents, empower individuals, to start making these decisions,” said Del. Jordan Maynor, R-Raleigh, who is the bill’s lead sponsor.

Across the aisle, Del. John Doyle, D-Jefferson, felt differently.

“There are certain things where the parents are right. There are other things, other issues, where the greatest amount of knowledge is in the hands of a school system,” Doyle said. “And there are yet others where the decision is best made by public health officials.”

House Education Minority Chair Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, offered an amendment to the bill that would have allowed a masking mandate in times of a declared state of emergency, but it failed.

HB 4071 now goes to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.

West Virginia University Returns To Indoor Mask Requirement

West Virginia University is returning to a policy of requiring masks to be worn indoors on campus and has ordered students, faculty and staff to verify their vaccination status due to a surge in coronavirus cases statewide.

The university said in a news release that masks will are required for anyone regardless of vaccination status in all WVU System buildings and facilities through at least Feb. 1, when public health conditions will be reevaluated.

The statement said the move was being made to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and the omicron variant. The spring semester starts next Monday.

Students, faculty and staff must verify their vaccine status by Jan. 28. To be considered fully vaccinated, an individual now must have received their primary shots and booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, WVU said.

“Now more than ever, we are asking our unvaccinated students, faculty and staff to get a COVID-19 vaccine and for those who are vaccinated to get a booster if they are eligible,” said Dr. Jeffrey Coben, dean of the WVU School of Public Health and associate vice president for health affairs. “It is imperative that we all do our part to protect ourselves and each other as we navigate this latest wave in the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Anyone testing positive for COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, must isolate for at least five days, the university said.

The number of active virus cases statewide has jumped 39% since Friday to nearly 18,900. That’s the highest level since mid-September, when cases soared to nearly 30,000. The daily percentage of positive cases among all tests statewide has surged past 20% for two consecutive days. And that doesn’t include in-home tests that don’t go reported.

There have been at least 5,372 deaths in West Virginia during the pandemic.

Vaccination Pushback: COVID Skepticism Hits Local Leaders Hard

Masks and vaccines continue to trigger Us & Them divides across the nation.

As statewide public health mandates have dwindled, public health choices increasingly fall to local government officials – city, county and school board leaders. Many say the mask and vaccination requirements they’ve imposed in the interests of public health, have put a target on their back. More than 80% report they’ve been harassed, threatened or experienced violence. Some are afraid to do their job and they say the aggressive resistance has a budgetary impact on cities required to enhance safety measures.

Us & Them host Trey Kay travels to several southern states to hear from people about their decisions and the consequences. He spoke with Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who was Tennessee’s top vaccination official. In the summer of 2021, she was fired after getting caught in an intense battle between the science and the politics of public health.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the CRC Foundation and the West Virginia Humanities Council.

This program is made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 through the West Virginia Humanities Council. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

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