Two central Ohio school districts drop mask mandates

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Both Groveport Madison and Worthington school districts dropped their mask mandates for both students and staff, joining a growing list of central Ohio districts doing away with requiring masks to combat COVID-19.

At Wednesday’s school board meeting, the Groveport Madison district announced masks will be recommended, but not required, starting Thursday, Feb. 24.

According to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard, only one active COVID-19 case — a high school student — was reported on Feb. 17, the last time numbers were updated.

At a special meeting of the Worthington school board Wednesday, the only item on the agenda was the district’s mask mandate.

The agenda item reads:

“…that the Worthington City School District Board of Education require indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, parents and visitors on school district grounds, regardless of vaccination status, through February 27, 2022, and following that date, universal mask wearing on school grounds is not required. Passengers and drivers continue to be required to wear masks while on school transportation, subject to the CDC’s January 29, 2021 Order, its exclusions and its exemptions.”

The resolution was approved 4-1, meaning starting Monday, masks will not be required.

The Ohio Department of Health reported 1,323 new cases statewide on Wednesday. Franklin County dropped from red to orange on Wednesday when new coronavirus cases fell to a “substantial” level of 96.3 per 100,000 residents over the past week.