Health

Hopkinton school committee votes 3-2 in favor of mask-optional trial period

HOPKINTON, Mass. — The Hopkinton school committee voted 3-2 in favor of adopting the superintendent’s recommendation that the high school undergoes a 19-day mask-optional trial period to collect data regarding COVID-19 in the school system. That vote occurred Thursday night.

The recommendation states that the schools make masking optional from November 1 through November 19 while they collect data on information like potential increases in breakthrough cases and greater COVID-19-related absences.

The decision was close with the chair of the school committee, Nancy Cavanaugh voting against the measure.

“We’re looking to take away one of the layers of mitigation that kept us safe, and I’m not sure what it is we are putting in place that is going to protect some of the people who cannot be protected,” Cavanaugh said before the vote.

Committee member Joe Markey was among those who voted for the optional mask policy.

“I think families will do what they need to,” Markey said. “But given where we are, we’re not going to be at a better time to at least do a three-week. I would be advocating for more.”

The town’s public health official, who is not among the committee members, told school officials postponing this effort would be wise given an uptick in positivity and the number of cases of late.

>>>MORE: State’s 2 largest cities still under mask mandates

It also mandates a return to universal masking in the school on Monday, November 22 ahead of anticipated Thanksgiving travel.

The recommendation also allows the universal mask mandate to be reinstated ahead of the completion of the trial period if there’s a sharp increase in cases.

Since Hopkinton High school has reached the 80% vaccination milestone, DESE said vaccinated students have the option to go mask-free without having to break rules. The school committee met earlier in October to discuss the possibility of making masks optional but wanted extra time to decide in order to help mitigate risk and prepare for the logistics of unmasking. That led to Thursday’s vote.

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