| Calhoun County has moved to Orange on the WVDHHR, and Calhoun Schools Superintendent Kelli Whytsell announced Wednesday afternoon to mandate masks for all schools and all grades starting Thursday.
Calhoun has 18 new cases since last Friday, with a total 27 From last week, with cases soaring in West Virginia.
"We have been in school for 5 days and have had to quarantine approximately 50 students. We have had three positive cases non-school related, which caused the quarantine of students," Whytsell said.
"I will be issuing a mask mandate starting on Thursday, August 26, for all students and staff in the county. This includes Arnoldsburg, Pleasant Hill, and Calhoun Middle/High School students and staff regardless of being vaccinated."
The mandate will be reevaluated on September 16, saying the goal is to keep students and staff safe and in school.
"We cannot do that without masks at this time. We anticipated having to periodically issue a mask mandate."
"I regret that we have to implement this so soon in the school year, but we canât keep quarantining large numbers of students and have a successful year.
"Thanks for your support in helping us keep our students and staff healthy and in school," Whytsell said.
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