Mercer County BOE votes to make mask wearing optional

MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. (WVVA) - The Mercer County Board of Education voted to move its mask guidance from mandatory to optional in a meeting Tuesday night.

This new guidance means that mask usage in buildings and on school buses will be optional for both students and staff.

This decision is being made as Mercer County and Mercer County Schools’ positive case numbers are going down after the increase during the winter holidays. Masks may also be required at individual school sites if Covid-19 transmission rates warrant a mask requirement.

Mercer County Schools will still have masks available to anyone wanting one. The superintendent may also institute practices if determined necessary in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

All Mercer County schools are now reporting positive cases to a new WV DHHR tracking survey, which appears at https://wvde.us/covid19/school-covid-dashboard/