Copperas Cove ISD’s Decision, Masks Required for All
The statewide mask mandate may have been lifted by Governor Abbott, but Copperas Cove ISD has decided that it's not quite time for their district to say goodbye to face masks.
According to a report from KXXV, Copperas Cove ISD has decided that it is in the best interests of staff and students to continue wearing face masks.
CCISD surveyed staff and the results demonstrated that an overwhelming amount supported the continuation of the requirement of face masks.
"After consulting with Coryell County medical professionals and local emergency management officials, Copperas Cove ISD Superintendent Dr. Joe Burns announced that face coverings will continue to be required for both students and staff in the district," CCISD said in a statement shared with the Copperas Cove Leader Press.
It was only on Wednesday, March 3, that Texas Health and Human Services announced that Texas teachers and child care providers were now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We have a responsibility to public health and to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” Burns said. “The protocols that we implemented have been successful, allowing students to have face-to-face instruction and participate in extra-curricular activities.”
At this time, only 6% of Texans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, meaning we are nowhere near herd immunity. Texas ranks number 1 across America for positive COVID-19 tests. The numbers are not going down. In fact, it's the opposite. Now is not the time to say goodbye to COVID-19 safety measures.
The COVID-19 pandemic has gone on far longer than I'm sure most of us could have ever imagined. While wearing a mask can be a nuisance for some, the pros far outweigh the cons.
LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions
While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.