Duval County Public Schools is asking parents, students and staff what COVID-19 safety measures they think the district should implement next school year.
DCPS has released a survey asking respondents multiple choice questions about if and how the district should implement face masks, hand sanitizer, desk shields and temperature checks into classrooms during the 2021/2022 school year. Answer choices range from keeping the measures mandatory to making them optional.
The survey closes on Monday, May 24, at midnight. It is available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Tagalog and Bosnian.
The survey’s results, as well as CDC guidelines and input from local health experts, will be used by the district to make its decision on how to open next school year, said Sonya Duke-Bolden, a spokesperson for DCPS.
The CDC no longer recommends fully vaccinated people wear masks or socially distance indoors and outdoors. It still recommends masks be worn on public transportation.
While the district is still determining its precautions for the next school year, masks are mandatory indoors for the remainder of this school year because most students are still unvaccinated, according to a statement from the district.
The Pfizer vaccine, the only COVID-19 vaccine available to children under 16, was approved for children aged 12-15 on May 10. Since the Pfizer vaccine requires two shots taken a few weeks apart, no DCPS student under 16 is currently fully vaccinated.
Tristan Wood can be reached at newsteam@wjct.org or on Twitter at @TristanDWood.
