Carteret County Public Schools announced on Friday that face coverings in school system facilities will be optional effective Monday, November 1, 2021. The announcement comes as the Carteret County Health Department reported that the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped to 4.6%. According to a news release, the Board of Education passed a motion on September 23, 2021 that Carteret County Public Schools System will make masks optional for all students, staff, and visitors based on the county’s positivity rate. Face coverings will still be required on school buses.