Indianapolis Public Schools made masks optional for students, staff and visitors, and the district will no longer identify or quarantine close contacts regardless of vaccination status.
The new policies were effective Feb. 28.
Megan Carlson, the district’s health services director, said at a school board meeting Feb. 26 the district still strongly encourages wearing a mask while indoors and around others, but added, “We’re going to let personal responsibility take over.”
IPS, the state’s largest school district, will also no longer require social distancing.
The move comes a week after the Indiana State Department of Health revamped COVID-19 guidance for schools, including an end to contact tracing and quarantines for students exposed to COVID-19.
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Because of a federal mandate, masks will still be required on school buses.
“We know that COVID is still in our community,” Carlson said. “We know that people are still testing positive. We are excited to see that it’s on the downfall, but we still need to remain vigilant in our practices.”
Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said the district will remain flexible with its guidance and pay attention to the data.
“If the data changes, then we know we’ll be positioned and we’ll make that change accordingly as well,” she said, “but I’m really excited that after two years we’ll be able to pivot in this way.”
The omicron variant wave seems to have subsided locally and nationally. Marion County’s seven-day positivity rate is down to 5.5%, according to the state health department, and the statewide rate is 7.2%. Marion County Public Health Department Director Dr. Virginia Caine has said a prolonged positivity rate of 5% or lower is a good sign that the pandemic is slowing.
Within IPS, the number of positive cases dipped dramatically by the middle of February, going from as high as 331 during a week in the beginning of January down to 19 during the week ending Feb. 12.
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853 or email at tylerf@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
