The number of school districts in Georgia and Alabama that are requiring face masks is on the rise.  Recently, two area Alabama counties have grappled with the issue.  Cherokee County, Alabama school officials have mandated the wearing of masks by school children and last week, after talking to local health officials and seeing COVID-19 cases increase throughout the community, Fort Payne City School leaders have decided to extend face coverings inside the classroom and buildings until October 1.

In neighboring Floyd County, the Board of Education has mandated masks if the school’s COVID-19 positive rate goes over 2%.  For several weeks, many schools in Floyd County have been above the 2% threshold.  If the infection rate goes above 5% – schools go to virtual learning.

While Chattooga County Schools and Trion City Schools do not have a mask requirement in place, they do have the same standard for virtual learning.  That’s exactly what happened forcing the closing of Chattooga High School recently.  However, the most recent numbers from the Chattooga County School system show that the high school – and all other schools in the system – are below the 5% threshold.

Both the Trion City and Chattooga County School systems added last Friday to the Labor Day Holiday as a day for the schools to be cleaned, disinfected and sanitized, in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Students in Trion and Chattooga County schools return to class today.