CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Another school district in the Charlotte area has chosen to require masks inside school campuses and other facilities as the COVID-19 pandemic sees a surge with the new delta variant.
During an emergency meeting Tuesday evening, the Catawba County Board of Education voted to enact a mask mandate inside all Catawba County Schools campuses. The new rule goes into effect Sept. 2 and applies to students, staff, and visitors. students and staff will not be required to mask up if a licensed medical provider gives them written notice in the form of an accommodation request; more details will be available online by Wednesday according to a district spokesperson.
During the meeting, board leaders learned as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1,447 students are in quarantine, which represents about 9% of the district's total student population. 58 staff members are also in quarantine.
Earlier in the day on Aug. 31, districts in both Alexander County and Iredell County elected to require masks inside. The school board for Union County Public Schools did not discuss any such mandate during their own meeting.
