Masks Required To Start School Year In Loudoun County

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Masks will be required for all students and staff members at Loudoun County schools, the school system announced. The mask mandate will apply to everyone in a school, regardless of their vaccination status.

The announcement arrives just over 3 weeks before classrooms reopen across the county on Thursday, Aug. 26.

Meanwhile, COVID cases throughout Loudoun County are on the rise. In the past two weeks, the positivity rate has more than doubled from 1.7 percent to 4.2 percent. The number of new cases grew by 287 last week.

Read more: Loudoun County's COVID Positivity Rate Doubles In One Week

The mask mandate from Loudoun County Public Schools aligns with recently announced guidelines from the CDC. On July 27, the CDC recommended all people in schools wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and the delta variant.

"We know students and families have been waiting for news on mask-wearing and other mitigation measures in LCPS schools this fall," said Superintendent Scott Ziegler. "With the mandate to maximize in-person learning and to follow CDC guidance it was important to have the most updated information possible to inform our return to school this fall."

The school system said it would provide masks to any students who did not have one. Students would not be required to wear masks during recess, PE, or other outdoor recreational activities.

"We realize that our desire for in-person learning is currently being challenged by rising community risk in Loudoun County and the potential impact of the Delta variant on students and our community," Ziegler said. "Mask wearing will minimize the need for quarantining, helping us keep students in the classroom."

A new guideline from the school system said students who are potentially exposed to another person with COVID-19 will not be required a close contact if everyone involved is properly wearing a mask. This will limit the amount of quarantining required for students.

Loudoun County's schools will be open for five days per week of in-person learning at 100 percent capacity. The school year begins on Thursday, Aug. 26. More information about Loudoun County's mask mandate is available online.