Masks are no longer required for staff at Georgia’s largest school district

Masks are no longer required for staff at Georgia’s largest school district as COVID-19 cases decline in Gwinnett County.

In Gwinnett Public Schools, there are 670 confirmed or probable cases, according to district data. This time last year, there were 594 cases, marking a slight increase. Gwinnett is one of a handful of metro districts still tracking cases and updating its dashboard regularly and publicly.

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COVID-19 transmission in Gwinnett County is now classified as medium by the CDC. Fulton and Cobb Counties still remain classified as high.

“We can still expect to see a spike in cases not just in school children, but everywhere,” said Dr. Jayne Morgan with Piedmont Hospital.

Dr. Morgan says she still recommends masks even as metro districts have moved toward making them optional.

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“By and large, your children should probably have a well fitted N95 mask at least with them,” she said.

At Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospitals, just over 20 patients were in the hospital with COVID-19 in July. Now that number is closer to 40.

“Most of the children are unvaccinated against covid,” said Dr. Andi Shane with CHOA, “and so we are definitely seeing more severe infections.”

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