The state of Illinois is out with new recommendations for masks in classrooms across the state. The state’s Department of Public Health is recommending a ‘layered’ approach to masks this fall. That essentially means different mask rules for different schools. The IDPH says unvaccinated students should wear masks, but the state is not requiring it. The suggestion for masks for unvaccinated students covers kids as young as kindergarten and would mean all children under 12 may have to mask-up. The IDPH is also recommending social distance and coronavirus testing to start the school year.
That news comes on the heels of yesterday’s latest CoViD-19 update from Egyptian Health Department which saw a continued significant spike over the weekend throughout the tri-county area. A total of 68 southeastern Illinois residents tested positive over the weekend in Saline, Gallatin, and White Counties. Of them, 31 were from White County including 8 teenagers; 18 were from Gallatin County, 12 of them in their teens; and the remaining 19 hail from Saline County, 2 in their teens and one under 5. Since the pandemic began, White County has had 1,910 lab confirmed positive cases. In Carmi alone, nearly 17,900 tests have been administered.
