Health Department of Northwest Michigan to lift school mask mandate at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 17

Citing improving conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Department of Northwest Michigan announced the first amended order which requires masks to be worn in school settings will be lifted in one week, with rescission effective at 11:59 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 17.

Although the lifting of the mandate does not take effect for one week, the announcement was made by health officer Lisa Peacock and medical director Dr. Josh Meyerson on Feb. 10 to give school leaders advance notice prior to lifting the public health order so they had time to notify their school boards, prepare staff, make necessary policy changes and notify families and their communities.

This notice was expressed as preferable by many of the school superintendents across the jurisdiction throughout weekly discussions with the school leaders.

"The purpose of the first amended order was to protect students, school staff as well as the community and was originally issued on Aug. 27, 2021, and amended on Nov. 9, 2021,” Peacock said. “It was based on overwhelming medical evidence and support as well as then current and ongoing COVID-19 epidemic conditions including rapid growth of case and positivity rates, rising and ongoing strain on health care capacity, and a student population that was largely unvaccinated with no opportunity for vaccination of the youngest school-age children who weren’t yet eligible."

In response, the Public Schools of Petoskey will make masking optional inside all school buildings, as superintendent Chris Parker said in a letter emailed to district staff, students and parents on Thursday.

"This change will be effective at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 18, 2022," Parker said. "COVID testing for athletics and extracurricular performances will also end on Feb. 18, 2022. Masks on school buses and in other school vehicles will still be required, per the federal transportation order."

Parker said the school district will continue to update the number of COVID-19 cases per building on the district website, and parents are encouraged to monitor the district's website at www.petoskeyschools.org and to make decisions about whether to direct their children to mask accordingly.

"We will continue to offer drop-in testing in the mornings at the Spitler Administration Building," Parker said. "Again, we ask that parents keep sick children home."

Charlevoix Public Schools Superintendent Mike Ritter in a letter to district students, staff and parents said beginning Friday, Feb. 18, Charlevoix Public Schools will also make masking optional inside school buildings.

"This aligns with the protocols our board of education approved on July 26, 2021, prior to the health department's mask mandate that came in August 2021," the letter said.

Ritter said that protocol stated Charlevoix Public Schools will be following the health department's lead and will not be mandating that masks be worn on school premises. However, consistent with CDC and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommendations, students, staff and visitors who are unvaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings while indoors.

"We will work to pursue a positive culture for those who continue to mask," Ritter said.

Additionally, Charlevoix Public Schools will not require COVID-19 testing to participate in extracurricular activities and sports, while masks on school buses and in other school vehicles will still be required per the federal transportation order, Ritter said.

Boyne City Public Schools Superintendent Pat Little in a letter sent to school district members said the district will now regain control of the decisions regarding protocols for COVID-related matters.

"The board of education decided in December, when the order expired that 5-12th grade students would move to a 'mask recommended but not required' status," Little said. "With that change, the process of contact tracing and required testing of athletes will also end. Masking on busing will still be required as this is governed by federal law."

Little said he has recommended to the board of education the protocols for prekindergarten through fourth grade students should reflect the same procedures of the middle school and high school students and transition to "mask recommended but not required" on Feb. 18.

"The board will vote on this change at their normally scheduled board meeting on Monday, Feb. 14," Little said. "I will send an update to the community on that decision next week. It is important to note, per board policy, the administration maintains the ability to put into place protocols if unforeseen threats to health and/or safety emerge in the future."

Boyne City Public Schools will also continue to offer optional COVID-19 testing as a service to students and staff for several more weeks, Little said.

"In my opinion, it is better to test and know rather than to wonder and guess about one's health," he said.

Additionally, the Boyne City Public Schools district recommends parents keep a student out for five days after they test positive for COVID-19.

"Like we practice with other illnesses, students should only return to school if fever and symptom-free for a full 24 hours," Little said.

"As we start the first step in the transition out of this phase of school-based/health department-based responsibilities for COVID-related decisions and into a fully parent-based decision-making mindset, I urge parents to think of the golden rule, a piece of wisdom that is ageless: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'" Little said. "When considering sending your child to school who may be experiencing mild symptoms, please ask yourself, would you want another parent sending their child with these same set of symptoms?

"If we all err on the side of caution when dealing with health matters, as a community, we all benefit."

Ongoing review of local, regional, and state data has revealed the following information which officials said supports the decision to rescind the emergency order:

• Ongoing weekly monitoring of pandemic risk indicators demonstrating weekly cases per 100,000 have decreased by 67% statewide over the past three weeks and decreased by 56% in the Traverse City Michigan Economic Recovery (MERC) region.

• While an increase in hospitalizations has typically followed a similar pattern as cases in previous surges, hospitalizations did rise, but not as sharply as cases in the recent COVID-19 omicron variant surge. Modeling projections estimate an increase in deaths will also follow, but are also not expected to rise as sharply as previous surges and it is predicted that this will continue to become evident over the next 1-2 weeks.

• Parents have had ample opportunity to get their eligible school-age children vaccinated and there continues to be available appointments in all counties for COVID-19 first doses, second doses, or booster vaccinations. In the Health Department of Northwest Michigan jurisdiction, 23% of 5-11-year-olds and 46% of those 12-15 have received at least one vaccination.

• Regular discussions with hospital partners reveal that several elements of health care capacity are in the early stages of improving, including staffing shortages and absences, general and ICU capacity and the volume of COVID-19 inpatients.

• There now is access to additional tools and strategies for mitigating risk of COVID-19 including widespread vaccination opportunities, increasing availability of testing both at home and at community sites, broad access to effective masks and public health information for the general public. The health department continues to prioritize equitable access to these protective resources.

In general, due to the changing conditions of the pandemic, the public health response across local, state, and national agencies is shifting its focus from mandates and restrictions to individual personal protection responsibilities.

One example of this is the recent transition away from universal case investigation and contact tracing, which opens resources for more effective targeted strategies in high-risk settings and outbreak situations.

"As we have discussed in the past, a public health emergency order is only a temporary strategy, only exercised when other methods of protecting the public’s health haven’t been possible or effective,” Peacock noted.

Dr. Meyerson emphasized that the lifting of the order is not intended to indicate that masking is no longer important.

"Masking indoors and in crowded settings continues to be recommended by major health authorities and schools are urged to maintain masking policies especially when transmission levels remain high,” Meyerson said. “The CDC offers key messages on properly wearing and choosing an appropriate mask. Masking on buses and other forms of public transportation continues to be a federal requirement."

The health department continues to provide easy and free access to the COVID-19 vaccine in all its counties. Appointments and walk-in clinics are available by visiting www.nwhealth.org. In addition, while supplies last, the health department is distributing free KN95 masks and home tests at all office locations in Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties.

Individuals are encouraged to get tested if they show any symptoms of COVID-19 and to isolate while they are ill or if they test positive. Free and easily accessible testing sites are located throughout the health department jurisdiction.

In addition, health department professionals are available to help school families and any other community members navigate any questions they may have about COVID-19 symptoms, vaccinations, or what to do if they are exposed to the coronavirus and need to isolate or quarantine.

To discuss health concerns with health department staff during normal business hours, call (800) 386-5959.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Health department to lift school mask mandate at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 17