Tuscaloosa City Schools To Keep COVID-19 Mask Requirement For Next Two Weeks

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa City Schools on Friday announced it will continue to require masks for at least the next two weeks due to a high number of COVID-19 cases.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

TCS said in a press release that the school system's two-week average for positive cases on Friday is 2.92% — well above the 1% threshold initially approved by the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education.

The school system did point to some "good news," however, in that administrators have seen a significant decline in student cases over the last week.

"In fact, we are currently at .69% of active student positives," TCS said in a statement. "If the two-week average is 1% or below on February 11, 2022, we will move back to masks being optional."

Schools have been hit hard during the latest COVID-19 surge, with staff absences and a lack of substitutes also prompting the Tuscaloosa County School System to close Echols Middle School on Friday.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com