Why Fayette County schools could loosen mask requirements in coming weeks

If COVID-19 cases keep dropping, Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins thinks the school district could loosen mask requirements in coming weeks.

“If conditions continue to improve, I am optimistic that we will be able to take a recommendation to the Fayette County Board of Education that would loosen our mask requirements in the coming weeks,” Liggins told parents in a message Tuesday night.

Also, effectively immediately, Fayette County students from different homeroom classes can start playing outside together, Liggins said.

Liggins said the following factors would play a role in loosening mask requirements:

▪ State and federal guidance:

At this time, the Centers for Disease Control and state health department continue to recommend universal masking in schools, and following that guidance has allowed the school district to stop quarantining students for in-school exposures, Liggins said.

Fayette school officials said they are closely following reports that modified mask guidelines may be released soon and will be prepared to respond accordingly.

▪ The COVID-19 incidence rate in the community.

At this time, Fayette County remains in the “red” — the highest level of risk— according to the state’s COVID-19 Current Incident Rate map. If cases continue on their current trajectory, Fayette County could be in the orange within a couple of weeks, Liggins said.

▪ The number of student and staff cases in the school district.

In the past seven days, 118 students and 26 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. That’s down from 233 students and 38 staff last week. Just four weeks ago, Fayette County had 794 students and 172 staff test positive for COVID-19 in a single week.

▪ Vaccination rates. The district said 32 percent of Fayette County residents between the ages of 5 and 11 are fully vaccinated, while 41 percent have had one dose. Sixty percent of Fayette County residents between the ages of 12 and 15 are fully vaccinated, while 72 percent have had one dose. And 65 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds in Fayette County are fully vaccinated, while 77 percent have had one dose.

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department officials in a weekly meeting of the Fayette School COVID-19 Core Team Tuesday morning said new cases of COVID-19 and positivity rates are continuing to decline, while vaccination rates are going up, according to Liggins.

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department Interim Chief Administrative Officer Jessica Cobb said the seven -day average of new cases in Lexington is down more than 50 percent for the second week in a row — from 726 two weeks ago to 346 last week and 157 this week.

Several Kentucky school superintendents say their districts have or will soon drop mask requirements.

This story was originally published February 22, 2022 at 8:19 PM.