Face masks optional at all Miami-Dade public schools

Miami Dade County, Florida – On Tuesday superintendent Alberto Carvalho said that students at Miami-Dade County Public Schools will no longer have to wear face masks if their parents don’t want them to.

During a news conference he said that the universal indoor face mask protocol will no longer be in place starting Friday and parents can start to submit the opt-out form on Wednesday.

“Vaccinations are now widely available,” Carvalho said.

According to Carvalho, students and employees who have health conditions and who may require special accommodations during the coronavirus pandemic need to communicate with their school principals.

This comes after a COVID-19 task force meeting to discuss official data.

Social distancing, efforts to improve air ventilation and circulation, and disinfecting protocols will continue.

According to Carvalho, 63% of eligible children in Miami-Dade County have been fully vaccinated.

He said all of the metrics support the decision.

“We have seen a 10-fold reduction from mid-August to where we are today,” Carvalho said about infections, also adding the last three weeks the ratio has been less than 100 coronavirus cases per 100,000 Miami-Dade residents.

“We followed the science; we continue to follow the science.”

Last week, school officials decided to make face masks optional for vaccinated employees at high schools and middle schools. Carvalho said 9,020 parents had submitted forms as of Tuesday and the information on elementary and K-8 schools would be available after Friday.