Butler County General Health District, along with two other city health departments, recommend universal masking across schools and universities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
On Monday, Butler County and the cities of Hamilton and Middletown health departments made a joint statement recommending schools follow guidance from local departments, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The statements warns that the fight against COVID-19 is not over, given new evidence on the delta (B.1.617.2) variant.
"The delta variant is here and it spreads more easily and makes people sicker than the other forms of COVID-19 we have seen before," the joint statement said. "Because the delta variant spreads so quickly, schools need to implement all the tools they have to protect students, teachers and staff (and their families) in order to stay in-person."
The CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. AAP recommends all students older than 2 years and all school staff should wear face masks at school.
Butler County is classified as having “substantial spread” of COVID-19. More than 40,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Butler County along with 616 deaths.
School districts across the county recommend, but do not require, masks within the school buildings. Miami University will require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status, along with other universities in the region.
Masks will be required indoors at Cincinnati Public Schools, but not outdoors. The Sycamore Community School Board of Education agreed last Wednesday to allow the district superintendent to set a mask policy for each school. Oak Hills Local Schools will recommend, but not require, masking as will Warren County Schools.
Mason Schools will not require masks either. A letter signed by 103 physicians who live in the Mason and Deerfield Township communities calls for the district to mandate masks indoors.
Click the Butler County school districts below to read guidelines for the upcoming school year:
