The Brownsville Independent School District on Wednesday lifted its mask mandate, making face coverings to protect against COVID-19 optional but encouraged as of Monday, March 7.
COVID-19 masks have been mandatory in all district schools and facilities since the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year in August. As of Monday, the decision whether to wear a mask will be left to an individual’s choice.
Superintendent Rene Gutierrez said the decision came after positive cases of COVID-19 dropped dramatically in recent weeks as infections from the omicron variant subsided along with an ongoing increase in the local vaccination rate, which BISD officials estimated at 90%.
“We see that our cases are dropping dramatically, to less than 10 positive cases daily, whereas before it used to be in the hundreds, only a couple of months ago it was 100 to 200 cases a day and now we’re in the single digits,” Gutierrez said Wednesday morning.
He added that vaccines have been available to everyone, particularly the 5-11 age group, for a period of months so that anyone who wants a vaccine can get it at any local pharmacy.
Gutierrez also said the district would continue to follow safety protocols, which call for frequent hand-washing, the use of hand sanitizer, and social distancing.
For individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have a compromised immune system, wearing a mask and social distancing are highly recommended, and for those who test positive, are required to quarantine for five days and wear a mask for an additional five days, the district stated in a news release.
Gutierrez said he welcomed the move to optional mask usage, saying it likely would help improve the learning process as students are able to see each other’s and their teachers’ faces and expressions more easily and hear better.
“Now the option is going to be there whether you want to wear it or don’t want to wear it,” he said. “We highly recommend for everyone to continue wearing it, but they don’t have to any more.”
