The Cherry Creek School District’s district-wide mask mandate has been lifted yet again on Monday, February 7 due to the Tri-County Health Department expiring the mask order for child care and school facilities. 

Mask-optional school hasn’t been present since the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. This then led to masking restrictions being put back into place with a higher number in COVID-19 cases. 

There have been mixed feelings about this new change in the student community.

“With all the new COVID strains, this probably isn’t the best time to take the mandate off, there’s still the danger of the pandemic,” Bryce Jalbert said (10). 

With the omicron variant that was first detected in December of 2021, schools have been facing the worry of an even more contagious spread among students and staff. Nonetheless, measures will still be put up to fight the pandemic day by day.

“We will still offer masks to students on a daily basis and hand sanitizer available in classrooms and around the building,” Principal Chuck Puga said. 

In regards to what the school does, the environment of taking precautions will not change. However, the option offered to no longer wear a mask does not necessarily mean that this pandemic has diminished in the slightest bit.

“People could still get viruses and those sicknesses could spread and have the school potentially going online,” Jasmine Fereydouni said (10). 

So what’s the consensus? What decision should you make for the community?

“It comes down to people’s personal opinions. Whether it’s supported or not, different people are gonna approach those in different ways so you do what’s best for you,” Principal Puga said. 

Mask or not, the community will not change. Therefore, the choice depends on evaluating and determining what’s best for oneself.