CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - Students in Virginia are no longer required to wear face coverings in school. That’s because Virginia’s new Governor, Glenn Youngkin, lifted the state's school mask mandate. Mask-wearing in schools will be optional in Virginia beginning January 24.
However, parents and Accomack County have mixed feelings about mask being optional for students.
Kay Lin is a mother who lives in Chincoteague. She says student should continue to wear a mask because of COVID-19 numbers on the rise.
”I think parents are pretty leery with sending their kids to school just because cases are really high. I think masks should still be in effect for kids going to school. Kids are in close proximity and I think it’s important to wear a mask," says Lin.
Some schools in Virginia have spoken out against the lifted mask mandate saying it will still be in effect on their campus. However, father of one, David Metrinko, says parents should be the ones making that decision for their kids.
”I think kids have been through a lot these last two years with COVID and I think it’s great they’re back in school. However, I really think the decision for the mask should be up to the parents. It's fine if they choose to wear them and if they choose not to, that’s fine too," says Metrinko.