By Guy Page
The Vermont Agency of Education has rescinded its ‘direction’ that all Vermont school districts require masking of all students and staff. As of Monday, March 14, masks will be optional, Agency Secretary Dan French said at a press conference yesterday.
To allow for an implementation period, these recommendations will take effect Monday, March
14, 2022,” French said, reading from an agency memo issued yesterday. “Effective on that date, there will be no school-specific COVID-19 prevention and mitigation recommendations issued by the State of Vermont.”
Schools should encourage their students, staff and families to follow the Vermont Department
of Health’s recommendations for all Vermonters. The Health Department will update these
recommendations as public health circumstances warrant, the memo says.
Also, school COVID-19 testing programs (response testing and staff assurance testing) will be phased out “at some point” in favor of students and staff accessing the same testing programs provided to all Vermonters, the memo says.