With the start of school just days away, the Washington County and Johnson City school systems have no plans to change their policies on masks despite new guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
On Tuesday, the CDC issued new guidance recommending that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor areas in places where there is high COVID-19 transmission. The CDC has determined that transmission in all Northeast Tennessee counties is either substantial or high.
The agency also recommended that all teachers, staff, students and visitors wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
Greg Wallace, the safety supervisor with Johnson City Schools, said there have been numerous discussions internally and with other districts about the new CDC guidelines.