Mask Mandate Relaxed In DeKalb County Schools

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — Students and staff of the DeKalb County School District will no longer be required to wear masks inside, the district announced late last week.

The district's updated mask policy changed the language from requiring masks to now being "strongly encouraged" but optional for students and staff, whether inside or outside school buildings. However, all students still have to wear them on the bus.

According to the district's policy, it will still use other mitigation strategies, such as enhanced cleaning measures; social distancing; encouraging frequent hand washing; contact tracing and encouraging vaccinations. The district also plans to keep monitoring cases in the county and could change its policy on mask wearing, depending on COVID-19 data within the district.

DCSD is not the first district to relax its mask policy. Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett county school districts all made similar changes in late May and early June.

Related:

• Mask Policy Updated For Fulton Schools, Plans Set For Next Year
• Cobb County Schools Make Masks Optional, Vaccinated Or Not
• Masks Now 'Recommended But Not Required' In Gwinnett Schools