INDIANAPOLIS — State health officials urged Hoosiers on Friday to adhere to new federal guidance that vaccinated people return to wearing masks where COVID-19 is surging and all students, teachers and staff wear masks at schools regardless of the level of community transmission.
The recommendations from state health officials came days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on some masking guidance, recommending that vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in areas of the country where weekly transmission rates of at least 50 cases per 100,000 residents.
The CDC also recommended masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
As of press time Friday, the CDC listed Bartholomew County as having a weekly transmission rate of 69.23 cases per 100,000 residents.
“The Indiana Department of Health is strongly urging Hoosiers to follow this guidance,” said state health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box in a press briefing Friday. “This also applies to students, staff and teachers in our K-12 schools regardless of the level of community spread.”
However, state health officials said they are not mandating masks at K-12 schools, instead leaving that decision up to local school districts and local officials.
Box said the Indiana State Department of Health has heard “clearly” from local elected officials and schools that “they want to make these decisions locally.”
“These are local decisions, but the guidance is universal,” Box said.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett said the school corporation is aware of the CDC’s most recent changes in its recommendation to encourage masking indoors.
“As with each CDC update regarding COVID-19, BCSC leadership will continue to review the information and consult with the Bartholomew County Health Department,” he said.
BCSC’s current reopening plan states masks are optional for both staff and students and recommended “for those at risk and/or not vaccinated.” The plan adds that due to a continuing federal mandate, masks are still required on buses.
The Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp.’s draft reopening plan also makes masks optional except on buses due to the present mandate. Students and staff must wear masks when visiting the health office.
Superintendent Shawn Price said discussion is ongoing as the Flat Rock-Hawcreek reviews the new guidance.
The first day of school for Flat Rock-Hawcreek is Aug. 5; BCSC students return Aug. 6.
The announcement from state officials also came as cases of COVID-19 continue to increase across the state, including in Bartholomew County.
A total of 45 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Bartholomew County from Sunday to Thursday, up from five cases during the same period the week before, according to state records.
Of the 45 cases reported during the first five days of last week, one person was between ages 1 to 4, four were ages 5 to 11, one was age 12 to 17 and two were ages 18 or 19.
Bartholomew County residents in their 20s and 30s accounted for roughly half of the 45 cases, while four people in their 60s and one person in their 70s also tested positive.
Box said part of the reason why she is strongly urging schools to follow the CDC guidelines are low vaccination rates among school-age children.
As of Friday morning, at least 1,218 Bartholomew County residents ages 12 to 15 were fully vaccinated, as were 1,764 residents ages 16 to 19.
“When you look at it, we have only about 34% of those individuals that are aged 16 to 18 that have been vaccinated and about 20-some percent of the 12- to 16-year-olds,” Box said.
