Fargo students begin classes, bring your face masks

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Summer vacation is officially over for Fargo Public School students. Today is the first day of classes so a reminder not to forget your face masks.

The Fargo Board of Education approved the implementation of face masks back on August 10th as a COVID-19 mitigation strategy. The recommendation came from changing conditions in the community from the impacts of the COVID-19 Delta variant. These include:

· Universal masking for all staff, students, and visitors to buildings, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission rates. Masks will be required inside all Fargo Public School buildings for the 2021-22 school year starting on Monday, August 16.

· Students and staff staying home when experiencing ill symptoms and getting tested for COVID-19.

· Mask to mask exposure: exemption to quarantine

· Fully vaccinated contacts: if no symptoms, no quarantine but should monitor for symptoms. If one or both individuals are unmasked: 14-day quarantine. Contacts may release from quarantine after day 10 if no symptoms or after day 7 with a negative test collected on day 5 or later.

· Additionally, masks are required for all riders and drivers on Fargo Public Schools (FPS) transportation, including school buses and activity buses, which the district says is due to a federal requirement.

FPS will continue to work closely with Fargo Cass Public Health regarding COVID-19. If recommendations change, FPS will adapt and communicate accordingly.

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