Indian River County students, staff members must continue to wear face masks at school

Students and staff members in Indian River County will have to continue wearing face masks on school campuses, at least for now.

HEATED DISCUSSIONS AND NEARLY300 PUBLIC COMMENTS& THEINDIAN RIVER COUNTY SCHOOLBOARD NEVER ENDED UP VOTINGDIRECTLY ON WHETHER OR NOT TOCHANGE MASK REQUIREMENTS ONSCHOOL CAMPUSES.

MASKREQUIREMENTS ON CAMPUSES WONCHANGE FOR NOW.

INSTEAD, BOARDMEMBERS VOTED 3 TO 2 TO MAKE ADETAILED CHART THAT MAKES ITMORE CLEAR TO STUDENTS ANDPARENTS WHEN THEY DO AND DONOT HAVE TO WEAR MASKS.

SOMEPARENTS SAID STUDENTS COULDN'TDRINK WATER, OR TAKE MASKBREAKS, NOT CLEARLY KNOWINGTHE REQUIREMENTS.

THE TOPICOVERALL- PROVED TO BE DIVISIVEAND EVEN EMOTIONAL FOR BOARDMEMBERS.THE BOARD IS NOW DISCUSSINGWHETHER TO STOP THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT FROM BEING ABLE TMASS QUARANTINE STUDENTS INSCHOOLS.

BOARD MEMBER TIFFANYJUSTICE ALSO WANTS TO KEEPSTUDENTS IN SCHOOL IF THEYWEAR A MASK IN CLASS AND GET ANEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST.AND JUST TO BE CLEAR - HERE ISA QUICK LOOK AT ALL MANDATESIN OUR VIEWING AREA.

INUNICORPORATED INDIAN RIVERCOUNTY, FACE MASKS AREREQUIRED FOR EMPLOYEES SERVINGTHE PUBLIC, INSIDE COUNTYFACILITIES AND COUNTYTRANSPORTATION.

IN PALM BEACHCOUNTY AND ST LUCIE COUNTY -FACE MASKS ARE STILL REQUIREDIN ALL PUBLIC PLACES WHERESOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOTPOSSIBLE ALSO WHEN USINGCOUNTY TRANSPORTATION.

INMARTIN COUNTY - MASKS ARESTRONGLY RECOMMENDED BUTTHERE'S NO LONGER A MANDATE.FACE MASKS MUST BE WORN IN ALLCOUNTY BUILDINGS IN OKEECHOBEECOUN