Governor Parson Announces New COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools

Amid rising infection rates, on Thursday, Governor Parson announced new modifications for K-12 schools after large numbers of  school students and staff were quarantined in recent weeks. The new guidance stresses that wearing a mask may prevent people from being considered close contacts. If two people wore masks and one tested positive for COVID-19, then the exposed individual will not need to be quarantined as long as they don't show symptoms. The person would still need to quarantine for 14 days if the school does not require masks or if one or the other didn't wear a mask. The move is a way to encourage schools to have a mask mandate, although there is still no statewide mandate for one. For more information about this new guidance, follow this link.

As of November 11, the state has reported 230,000 cases of COVID-19 and 3,411 deaths since the pandemic began. The state also cited a record 2,157 hospitalizations, leaving ICU capacity down to 32 percent statewide. The situation is made worse by hospitals experiencing a staffing crisis after nine months of managing the disease. The Governor's office also announced that they expect a vaccine to be ready for delivery soon and to be available for healthcare workers and first responders by the end of 2020.