Area superintendents are waiting to learn the fate of New York state’s mandate requiring face masks in schools.

Local officials have been told that changes may arrive regarding masking in schools after the mid-winter break, but nothing official has been announced.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said earlier this month that the mask requirement in schools would be assessed in early March. She said the assessment “will be based on public health data, including key metrics like cases per 100,000 residents, hospital admission rates, vaccination rates, global trends and pediatric hospitalizations.”

Before the break this week, schools distributed two COVID-19 tests for every student that were meant to provide test results after students return to school next week.

Joseph Reyda, Bemus Point Central School superintendent, said his district is waiting to hear from the state what the verdict will be on school masking. Regardless of the face mask policy, he said some changes will be coming to the district after the break.

“We’re encouraged by the state’s willingness to change its masking guidance after the February break,” Reyda said. “There are a lot of factors that need to be considered in making any change, including vaccination rates, positivity rates and community spread. We feel that the time is right to update the masking guidance. We anticipate getting an update from New York State by March 7. We’ve spent the break identifying areas that we (will) adjust to help return our students and staff to a more normal school experience. This includes more face-to-face meetings, allowing more visitors to musical events and planning for more student group activities. Our goal is to implement these changes when school resumes after the break.”

Bert Lictus, superintendent in Panama, said his district is also waiting for new guidance from the state. However, those who wish to wear masks after the mandate is lifted will have that option.

“We are watching and listening to the governor and Department of Health closely,” Lictus said. “While we welcome local control, we realize there are many other factors that need to be considered: buses, cafeterias, underlying health conditions of students/staff. Panama plans to allow ‘mask choice’ while still allowing for distancing and other enhanced safety protocols when mandates are lifted. The safety of students and staff has been and will continue to be of the utmost importance.”

Southwestern Superintendent Maureen Donahue said her district distributed rapid tests to each family, though they are not required to complete them.

“We’re waiting patiently to see what they’re going to do,” Donahue said. “We are going to follow the Department of Health guidelines. We have families that are on both sides of this, so we are going to follow what the Department of Health guidelines come down as, and whatever the state regulations or requirements are. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Donahue said there has been little movement on the issue at this time.

(The governor) is going to take a look at the data, she’s going to look at vaccination, and she’s going to look at what the rate of infection is,” she said. “The information we’re getting is it’s not going to happen by Monday, but it will happen soon.”

In a Siena College poll released this week, more than half of New York residents said they’d prefer to see more data before deciding whether the mandate requiring face masks in schools should be lifted. That poll shows 58% want to see the March data first; 30% said the mandate should have expired already while 10% want to see the mandate end after this week’s school break.

FEW CASES REPORTED

Fewer cases of COVID-19 are being documented in Chautauqua County.

The health department on Wednesday said there were 253 new cases for the week ending Feb. 19. It’s the sixth straight week cases have been trending downward, with average daily cases currently around 36.

Health officials have noted that because positive test results through use of at-home kits are not always reported, the county’s information represents the minimum number of cases.

To date there have been at least 26,801 confirmed cases in the county as well as 26,289 recoveries and 320 virus-related deaths. As of Saturday there were 11 people admitted to local hospitals being treated for COVID or virus-related complications, a drop of four from the previous week.

At present, 61.5% of the county’s population over the age of 5 is considered fully vaccinated while 68.9% has received at least one dose.