CHARLESTON, W.Va. — ‘Mask up’ is going to be a familiar phrase in the 46 counties where schools are permitted to have in-person instruction starting Tuesday.
State School Superintendent Clayton Burch said those students in grades 3-8 will have to wear a mask. If they don’t have one the school will give them one. How much the mask has to be worn will be determined by the county’s color code on the state’s county alert map.
Burch said students in ‘green’ counties have to wear the mask on the bus, in the hallways of their school. It said elementary and middle school students can take their masks off in the ‘green’ designation when they are in a core group, such as their classrooms.
Burch said the requirements are different for schools in ‘yellow’ counties.
“Grades six and above you have to wear a mask at all times. That’s in the classrooms and the hallways,” Burch said Monday during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Clayton Burch, West Virginia State School Superintendent, joins @HoppyKercheval to discuss the latest COVID-19 county map released last Saturday, and what that means for schools across https://t.co/rn6maOBVPd. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/1z8kMSvzhF
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) September 7, 2020
Counties that open under ‘green’ or ‘yellow’ but at some time during the week shift to ‘orange’ those in the third grade and up will be required to wear masks at all time.
Burch said he’s confident county school systems have enough Personal Protective Equipment. He said if there are shortages the state will fill the need. Gov. Jim Justice has allocated another $50 million in federal money to ‘stockpile’ those supplies, according to Burch.
Burch said school principals will be taking inventory when it comes to equipment and supplies.
“They’re going to have an inventory and assessment the first two to four weeks of school to see how long these materials last to see what we’re going to need moving forward,” Burch said.