Most Michigan County Health Departments Withdraw School Mask Requirements

State-wide health authorities have withdrawn county-wide school mask obligations as COVID-19 Omicron waves appear to be subdued.

On Friday, Oakland County, the Benji-Leelanau District Health Department in northern Michigan, and the Northwestern Michigan Health Department, which covers the counties of Antrim, Charles Bois, Emmet, and Otsego, must wear masks at school. Announced that it will be released.

Oakland County orders will expire on February 28th. Orders in northern Michigan will close early on Thursday, February 17th.

These counties are the latest to make decisions such as a reduction in the number of cases from the steep slope last month. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have decreased by approximately 50% from record numbers in mid-January. The positive rate for the coronavirus test on Tuesday, February 8 was less than 11%. This was the lowest rate since October.

Washtenaw County Health Department Announced on Friday Beginning February 28, COVID-19 school masks, quarantine and quarantine requirements will be removed.

These occurred the day after February 19th, when the Ingam County Health Department withdrew an emergency order requiring quarantine procedures for masks and quarantine in educational institutions and close contact with schools.

This leaves only Wayne County with unexpired or unexpired orders. “At this point, our mask mission remains valid,” a spokesman wrote in response to a question as to whether the county intended to maintain that requirement.

“Removing day care and educational mask orders as we see significant improvements in critical measures for cases where vaccination, hospitalization, and COVID-19 are moving in the direction of community impact. The time has come, “Dr. Russell Faust, medical director of the Auckland County Health Department, said in a statement.

Oakland County and other officials have issued notices to give school district managers time to prepare staff, board members, and families.

“The Health Department still strongly recommends wearing masks in public indoor environments, including educational institutions,” a statement from Oakland County said.

The Ministry of Health noted that federal and state authorities, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, continue to recommend masking indoors in public, especially when infection levels are high.

Since June, there have been no state-wide requirements, but Michigan now has the first positive public health recommendations. Issued before Thanksgiving: All residents are required to wear a mask in an indoor public place, regardless of vaccination status. The State Health Department recommends universal school masking. A state spokesperson did not immediately answer questions about changes to that guidance on Friday afternoon.

Ingham County Health Officer Linda Bale said in a statement, “We are in this pandemic stage, and as we learn long-term life with COVID-19, public health strategies begin to shift to personal responsibility. Let’s do it. ” “As a public health agency, we continue to support local school districts by encouraging evidence-based public health measures, educating current guidance and practices, and making recommendations to stay safe and healthy. To do.”

Mask obligations have been a community issue since late summer.The problem is Hotly discussedAt crowded school board meetings across the state, often in Vitriol, sometimes in threat.Several School district faces related proceedings..

Related: Maskman Date will bring Oakland County parents to sue three school districts, the Health Department

There were 16 counties in September Health department mask order available.. School districts outside these counties have been given autonomy to establish their own requirements. Many district leaders with their own missions have already abolished them. As of the beginning of this month, the number of districts canceling orders has decreased by about 20%.

Related: Find out which Michigan public school districts currently require masks

The Department of Health in northwestern Michigan states that per capita cases have declined and hospitalization rates have not risen as rapidly as infection rates and availability of pediatric vaccines.

“Parents had ample opportunity to vaccinate qualified school-aged children,” said a health department news release.

As of November, all children over the age of 5 are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the vaccination rate for children is low. About 39.6% of children aged 5 to 19 have at least one shot in Michigan. The rate is the lowest of those 5-11, about 26%.

The condition seems to have reached the turning point.

The number of new cases is still high, but it continues to decline. The 7-day average of reported new cases dropped to less than 4,000 per day this week. This was the lowest number of cases per day in 7 days since early November. It’s down 59% compared to last week. On January 19, Michigan had an average of 17,595 new cases per day.

However, according to this week’s state data, per capita rates are important enough to classify all 83 counties in the state into the highest risk categories.

The number of new schools was also decreasing.There was last week Outbreak of 99 new COVID-19 From kindergarten to high school, it affects about 700 students and staff. This was reduced from 126 new outbreaks that affected approximately 1,000 students and staff last week.

“Mask’s mission was always intended to be temporary. At COVID in northern Michigan, Lisa Peacock, a health officer at both the Benji-Leelanau District Health Department and the Northwestern Michigan Health Department. This week, an update hosted by Traverse City-based Munson Healthcare.

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