Baldwin County School District to require masks for students, staff and visitors

Published 1:00 pm Monday, January 3, 2022

Effective Monday, Jan. 3, masks will be required for students, staff and visitors when inside all Baldwin County School District facilities and on school buses, regardless of vaccination status. 

Masks will not be required during breakfast/lunch or outdoor activities. This decision is based on updated information regarding the spread of the Omicron variant, the increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Baldwin County, and the change in the community transmission level from moderate to substantial spread. 

Students will return to school on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Many factors were considered before making the decision to require masks. We believe requiring everyone to wear masks will assist us in preventing the potential spread of COVID-19 in our schools,” said Dr. Noris Price, superintendent. 

Vaccination is the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The Baldwin County School District will continue to provide opportunities for students age 5 and older, faculty, and staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We will also continue to follow the safety protocols that have been in place since August to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“We are pleased that our vaccination rate for faculty and staff is over 80%. We all have the obligation to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in our schools and in our community. Please continue to practice good hygiene habits and consider getting vaccinated if you have not already done so. We are all in this together,” added Price.