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HANCOCK -- Superintendent Steve Patchin announced adjustments to current facial coverings by Hancock Public Schools following the recent update by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) on revised Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) guidance citing three major changes. These, said Patchin in a Sunday email, include:
– If you are outdoors, you will no longer need to wear a mask regardless of your vaccination status.
– While indoors, fully vaccinated people will no longer need to wear a mask.
– On July 1, the broad indoor mask mandate will expire.
However, he added, on Saturday, May 15, the CDC updated school guidelines that recommend keeping the same mask strategies through the end of the school year due to:
– Youth under age 12 are not yet eligible for the vaccination.
-The time needed for schools to make systems and policy adjustments.
"Hancock Public Schools believes we can make real time adjustments to our policies to accommodate these changes and move forward toward normal operations," said Patchin. Policy changes introduced:
– Any student/teacher/staff that have been vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccination and can provide medical documentation will be exempt from wearing facial coverings inside of Hancock Public Schools.
– Hancock Public schools will make a copy of such vaccination documents to be held in confidence for possible review by MIOSHA, MDHHS, and WUPHD officials.
Patchin said that the Hancock Public Schools State Approved COVID-19 Preparedness Response Plan asserts that "There's no one-size-fits-all solution: What works in Lansing may not work in Sault Ste. Marie (or Hancock). Districts will retain the flexibility to tailor their instruction to their particular needs and to the disease conditions present in their regions."
Hancock Public Schools has not seen significant spread in the school buildings due to mitigation strategies they have put in place, he said. Furthermore, the CDC has endorsed research finding those that have been vaccinated are at minimal risk of spreading COVID-19 to others or experiencing significant effects of the virus.
"As such," said Patchin, "we are following their recommendations as we move one step closer to normal operations."
According to new CDC guidelines, those students and staff that have not been vaccinated will continue to follow current protocols. Wearing facial coverings on buses will still be required as it is considered public transit. Hancock Schools will adjust this based on ongoing improvements in regard to the pandemic which includes the July 1 ending of the current mask protocols.
"We understand the 'pandemic fatigue' that all are experiencing." Patchin said. "We ask for your patience and trust as we continue to move forward to pre-pandemic educational protocols. Our goal is to finish the school year focused on safe in-person learning and the return of all the end-of-year celebrations and traditions. We must continue to follow safety protocols to ensure this can occur."