Parents ask OPS to require masks as students return to school amidst rise in delta variant cases

Parents ask OPS to require masks as students return to school amidst rise in delta variant cases

OMAHA PUBLIC OMAHAPUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL **NOT BEREQUIRING MASKS WHEN SCHOOLSTARTS IN JUST A FEW WEEKS.3 NEWS NOW REPORTER JESSIKAEIDSON SHARES WHAT THE DISTRICTAND SOME PARENTS HAVE TO SABOUT THE DECISION.OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTSWILL BE HEADING BACK TO THECLASSROOM IN JUST OVER TWOWEEKS."TREHE ARE MANY FACTORS THATDETERMINE A YOUNG PERSONS HEALTHAND WELLBEING.

SOME OF THE MOSTIMPORTANT FACTORS INCLUDE THEIRCONNECTEDNESS TO CLASSMATES,TEACHERS/ STAFF AND THEFAMILIARITY OF A DAILY ROUTINE,"AS CASES OF THE DELTA VARIANTARE CLIMBING, THE SCHOOL ISIMPLEMENTING SOME SAFETYPRECAUTIONS, BUT SOME PARENTSSAY IT’S NOT ENOUGH"THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THATCAN IGNORE OR HOPE OR WISH AWAWE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT."THE DISTRICT IS CONTINUING ITSDISINFECTION PROTOCOLS THAT WEREPUT IN PLACE LAST YEAR IN THEHOPES OF KEEPING SOME GERMS ATBAY.THEY’RE ALSO WORKING WITH THELOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO HOSTVACCINE CLINICS AND AREENCOURAGING THOSE 12 AND OLDERTO GET THE VACCINE- SCHEDULING33 CLINICS UP TO THE FIRSTAY DOF SCHOOL.BUT SOME PARENTS FEEL MORE NEEDSTOE BDONE - IN PARTICULAR MASKSBEING REQUIRED."THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTS ANAIRBORNE VIRUS IS STOPPING ITFROM BEING AIRBORN."AT THIS TIME, THE DISTRICTRECOMMENDS THOSE THAT AREUNVACCINAT WEAEDR A MASK.BOTH THE CDC AND THE DOUGLASCOUNTY HEALTH DIRECTOR HAVE SAIDTHAT MASKS SHOULD BE BROUGHTBACK AS WE TACKLE THE DELTAVARIANT, ESPECIALLY IN SCHOOLSETTINGS WHERE MANY CHILDREN ARENOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE."WHEN HALF OF THE STUDENTS THATATTNED OPS SCHOOLS AREINELLIGBLE TO RECEIVE THEVACCINE AND A SMALL PERCENTAGEOF THOSE WHO ARE ELLIGBLE HAVEGOTTEN IT, I DON’T BELIEVE ITSIN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO HAVEIT AS THEIR DECISION AS TOWHETHER OR NOT TO WEAR A MASK."THE DISTRICT SAYS THEY WILL BEWORKING WITH THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT FOR ANY FUTUREDECISIONS.IF THE DISTRICT WISHES TOREQUIRE MASKS ONCE AGAIN, THATDECISION WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGHTHE BOARD OF EDUCATIONREPORTING IN OMAHA JES