SEE MASKS

with recent recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and is based on the goal of keeping schools as safe as possible while maximizing in-person learning,” Tri-County’s news release said.

Tri-County continued: “Wearing masks in indoor settings is an evidence-based, safe and effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and mask-wearing in schools is particularly important because there are so many interactions in schools between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, and because children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines.”

In light of new data on the Delta coronavirus variant, the CDC in late July updated its guidance for fully vaccinated people. The CDC now recommends “universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status,” according to its website.

The new CDC guidance applies to schools everywhere — and to other indoor settings in counties with “substantial transmission” of the virus, according to John Douglas, executive director of Tri-County Health.

Local cases on the rise

The CDC’s change in guidance was based on surges in infection due to the Delta variant in many parts of the United States, as well as evolving understanding of vaccinated persons’ ability to transmit Delta infection and slowing rates of vaccination, according to the TriCounty news release.

As of late July, similar to the rest of the metro area, all three TriCounty Health counties are in the CDC’s “substantial” zone of transmission, with seven-day incidence rates — rates of new COVID-19 cases — above 50 cases per 100,000 people, according to Tri-County.

That means the new CDC guidance recommending that all people, vaccinated or not, wear masks in indoor settings applies in Tri-County’s area.

Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas have seen the signs of an upswing in COVID-19 case rates, according to Tri-County’s news release.

As of July 29, for Adams County, the seven-day incidence rate per 100,000 people for COVID-19 cases was 76 per 100,000. That represents an increase of 172% since June 26, according to the news release. Arapahoe has seen an incidence rate of 70 per 100,000, an increase of 142%, and Douglas had an incidence rate of 71 per 100,000, which is an increase of 163%, respectively, over the same period.

School districts must choose

Schools may return with little to no social distancing or mask requirements in August. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released new P-12 school COVID-19 guidelines on July 20, but the new guidance “does not constitute statewide requirements,” a state news release said.

SEE MASKS, P23

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John Douglas, executive director of Tri-County Health Department, framed the new mask guidance as one necessary piece in combating the virus’ resurgence.

“Although we think a resumption of wearing masks in schools and public indoor settings can be a useful measure to stem increases in transmission, it’s quite clear that getting vaccinated as soon as possible is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Douglas said in a Tri-County news release. “We are in a race against time to get more people vaccinated before Delta spreads even further or new even more contagious variants emerge.”

Wearing masks during times of rising community spread of the virus provides added protection to the individual wearing the mask because, “even though highly effective, vaccines are not 100% protective,” Tri-County said in the release.

“In addition, masks can reduce transmission to others, particularly those who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 such as children under 12 or persons who don’t have a fully protective response to vaccination,” the agency added.

All three COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S. protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death from the Delta coronavirus variant, according to Tri-County’s release.

Although rare, some vaccinated people can get Delta in a “breakthrough” infection and may be contagious — however, vaccinated individuals represent a “very small amount of transmission occurring around the country,” Tri-County said in the release.

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After new CDC guidance, school district to decide whether to require masks for students

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As concerns about the Delta coronavirus variant drove new federal guidelines for mask-wearing indoors for all people in certain areas — regardless of vaccination status — the spotlight turned to whether local school districts would move to require masks this fall.

Cherry Creek School District signaled in a July 30 message to the community that a mask requirement may be the route the district chooses, but the decision was not to be made until after Colorado Community Media’s press deadline.

“We are working with our partners at Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to determine how the newest CDC recommendation may affect Cherry Creek Schools. We will follow the TCHD guidance and fi nalize our plan early next week,” the message from Superintendent Christopher Smith read.

The message continued: “We will then inform our community about mask guidance or requirements, along with other health protocols that will be in place as school begins for students the week of Aug. 16.

“As always, we will continue to align

SEE CHERRY CREEK, P23 Cherry Creek School District administration building. FILE PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Littleton district plans near-normal schooling

Classes are set to resume Aug. 12

BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Living through a pandemic has been stressful on students.

Robert Reichardt, president of the Littleton Public Schools board, points out that students’ mental and physical health — as well as their learning — have been affected.

Therefore, LPS is looking forward to welcoming students back this month in a setting that is as normal as possible.

“It’s important to acknowledge that this is a stressful time for everybody,” Reichardt said. “The pandemic has been a constant learning exercise around what works and what doesn’t.”

On July 28, Superintendent Brian Ewert sent a letter outlining the district’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols for the 2021-2022 school year, which starts Aug. 12.

The school district, which educates about 15,000 students, is planning to start the 20212022 school year without a mask requirement, and at the capacity it had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools will, however, practice physical distancing as much as is possible without disrupting the learning environment.

“COVID-19 vaccines for employees and eligible students will continue to be an individual decision and will not be required,” states Ewert’s letter.

School Age Child Care, which is the district’s in-house, beforeand-after-school childcare, will operate with the same protocols as elementary schools.

Ewert’s letter describes the district’s health and safety protocols for COVID-19 as “layered and overlapping.” LPS believes these measures — which include frequent hand washing, cleaning, disinfecting, physical distancing and improved ventilation — have been effective.

The letter states that about 700 students in preschool through 12th grade attended LPS summer school programs throughout June, and only two COVID-19 positive cases were reported during that time, according to the letter.

“We believe that is due to our layered approach,” Ewert wrote.

Amanda Crosby, president of the Littleton Education Association teachers union, agrees that the layered and overlapping measures work, but feels schools should be held to those standards of cleanliness all the time.

“Schools need to be clean. When teachers ask for cleaning supplies,” Crosby said, “they should get them. That should be happening whether there’s a pandemic or not.”

School bus transportation for the 2021-2022 year will resume at pre-COVID-19 capacity, and all students and staff will be required to wear a mask while on a school bus, regardless of vaccination status. This is a federal law, Ewert’s letter states.

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