Per CDC guidelines, school districts drop mask mandates on school buses

CAPE FEAR REGION, N.C. (WECT) - In alignment with a recent change in guidelines by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Pender, Bladen, and New Hanover County school districts have removed the mask mandates on school buses.

According to the CDC website: Effective February 25, 2022, CDC does not require wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs.

CDC is making this change to  align with updated guidance that no longer recommends universal indoor mask wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in areas with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level.

The rule is effective immediately for Pender County and goes into effect Thursday March 3 for New Hanover County. Bladen County lifted its mandate on Monday.

Currently, in the five-county region, New Hanover County is measuring medium COVID-19 community level; Brunswick, Pender, Bladen, and Columbus counties are still areas of high COVID-19 community level, according to the CDC map.

The CDC adds that school systems at their discretion may choose to require that people wear masks on buses or vans.

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