 County Supervisors approve supporting mitigation decisions of schools and districts
PIMA COUNTY, August 16, 2021 – The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve a policy supporting the individual decisions of schools and districts to require certain measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, including requiring face masks on K-12 school campuses.
The policy allows the Health Department to provide technical assistance, tailored public health orders, and expert testimony to support local schools and districts that make the decision to require face masks for students, teachers and staff. The policy also allows the County to join as a party in any litigation initiated by the State to assist in the defense of such a decision by that district.
This is just one way the County is supporting local schools and districts in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
The Health Department also is providing BinaxNOW self-test kits to schools, helping them regularly test students and staff, and catching asymptomatic cases before they turn into outbreaks. The Department has nearly 30,000 self-test kits and wants to get at least 80 percent of those into K-12 schools. The remaining kits are being distributed to other community partners.
“COVID-19 can be spread before the first case knows they have it. It can also be spread without symptoms showing,” said Brian Eller, the Health Department COVID-Schools Liaison.
“We are eager to get these self-tests into schools, as they are easy to use, even for children who are in kindergarten. We can stop outbreaks before they start. That helps us keep classrooms open and keep kids in school, where they belong and learn best.”
The Health Department is also providing vaccination clinics at schools, personal protective equipment to schools that need it, and on-going support for school and district administrators.
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