On January 20, 2022, the Minnetonka School Board voted to enforce a temporary mask mandate beginning on Monday, January 25 during school hours. It will expire on February 25, unless the Board makes the decision to extend it beyond that date. The mandate applies to all staff, students grades 9-12 and visitors of Minnetonka High School, as well as occupants of the S.A.I.L, VANTAGE and MOMENTUM facilities. 

This decision has been proven effective by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which advised the American people “to maximize protection and prevent possibly spreading COVID-19 to others” and “wear a mask indoors in public if [they] are in an area of substantial or high transmission.” 

“I believe it was a good idea due to the fact that before the mandate students and teachers were dropping left and right,” Aaliyah Lowry-Luther, ‘22, said. “This has made learning really hard as substitute teachers were needed last minute and conditions were absolutely less than ideal, especially because of finals.” 

The same exemption protocols that are currently in place for E-8 students are in place at MHS. The Minnetonka Public Schools Policy #810: COVID-19 FACE COVERING POLICY includes exemptions during strenuous physical activity, while eating and drinking, when receiving certain types of medical care, when outdoors and more. Students and staff should consult the Policy #810 for more details. 

With Omicron cases on the rise across the United States as well as within the high school, there is no telling whether or not this mandate will continue after February 25 or not. Current best practices are for everyone to keep their masks up to protect everyone in the community. 

Izabella Truscio, ‘23, wears a mask when she goes out. 

“When you go to places like a grocery store, you don’t know who you’ll be interacting with, which means you could potentially spread COVID-19 to someone who is high risk,” Truscio said. 

To protect yourself and others from COVID-19, the CDC continues to recommend wearing the most protective, well-fitting mask, meaning that it covers the nose and mouth and can be secured under the chin. Wearing masks properly does not mean wearing it under the nose, on the chin, dangling from one ear or on the arm. 

“No, that is an excuse for one to not wear a mask,” Bri LaMere, ‘23, said regarding the difficulty of breathing with a mask. “The ‘restricting fabric’ does take time to get used to, but you get over it for the good of others and it eventually becomes a habit.” 

According to the CDC’s website, “cloth masks and surgical masks do not provide an airtight fit across the face. The [carbon dioxide (CO2)] escapes into the air through the mask when you breathe out or talk. CO2 molecules are small enough to easily pass through mask material. In contrast, the respiratory droplets that carry the virus that causes COVID-19 are much larger than CO2, so they cannot pass as easily through a properly designed and properly worn mask.” 

Additionally, the CDC encourages “wearing two masks if N95 or KN95 masks are not accessible. However, do not combine an N95 or KN95 mask with any other mask.” 

N95 and KN95 masks are available at the Main and West entrances if students forget to bring one or do not have the means to buy a properly fitted mask. 

Kate Yetka, ‘23, emphasized the importance of wearing a mask during the Omicron surge. “Over fifteen of my friends have gotten Omicron, and some [cases] have even been life-threatening.” 

This new strand of COVID-19 highlights the importance of masking up to protect everyone from the deadly virus. The new mask mandate is a measure designed to keep all members of our community safe as the pandemic continues.