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NC needs to see 3 things before lifting mask mandates in schools

Officials said they'll need to see low COVID-19 transmission, vaccine eligibility for kids under 12 and more research on long-term impacts before removing mandates.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is looking at three different metrics in determining whether to remove the indoor masking requirement for students, officials told the board Thursday.

The mask requirement isn’t likely to change soon.

To change, DHHS officials will have to see low COVID-19 transmission rates, vaccine eligibility for children younger than 12 and more research indicating low impact of the virus on children, according to Dr. Betsy Tilson, state health director and chief medical officer. 

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Currently, officials are looking at long-term symptoms of the virus among even people who only had mild cases of COVID-19, as well as an increase in Type 1 diabetes diagnoses in children that correlates with high rates of COVID-19 spread.

Click here to read more from WRAL

Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

RELATED: No, there is no set standard that will mark the end of the COVID-19 pandemic

RELATED: Health officials urge North Carolinians to 'vax up or mask up'

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