Craven County’s board of education voted 4-3 to reinstate a required masking policy in schools, starting Monday. They held a special meeting last night to consider masks before the start of the spring semester.
The district had an optional mask policy from Nov. through the end of last semester. Now, students and staff will be required to wear masks at least until they reconsider it their next meeting on Jan. 20.
This decision comes as COVID-19 cases increase in the county and across Eastern North Carolina. According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Craven’s positive test rate is almost 16%, with 67% of the population 5 years and older fully vaccinated. Pitt and Duplin county schools are starting this semester with required masks, while Beaufort, Carteret and Onslow have kept masks optional.
