(INDIANAPOLIS) – Marion County will be watching for possible COVID outbreaks in schools as the new school year begins.
The Marion County Health Department has recommended masks but didn’t require them, as it did last year. The Indianapolis Public Schools and Warren Township Schools are requiring masks, but most districts aren’t.
Health director Virginia Caine says schools have more experience handling the virus now. And two out of five county residents are vaccinated. Like the rest of the state, Indy’s virus numbers are rising sharply, from 25 cases a day a month ago to nearly 200 now. But Caine notes the county had more than 900 cases a day in December, with positivity double the current eight-point-three-percent.
Caine says the department gets weekly reports on school COVID cases, and will reach out to schools where it sees unexpected spikes about additional precautions.
Masks are required on school buses by federal order.
