According to new Centers for Disease Control guidance, you will only have to wear a mask if you have been exposed to COVID-19. The CDC released the latest recommendations on Thursday before many schools across the country open their doors to students. It acknowledges the ongoing pandemic, but points out that approximately 95 percent of the population have either had COVID-19 and/or have been vaccinated against it. The updated document removed many recommendations, such as quarantining after exposure to the virus except in high-risk settings. Also gone is the rule that unvaccinated students that are exposed to the coronavirus should test for COVID-19 to stay in school, even if they do not have symptoms. They are now recommended to mask up if they have been exposed. While some districts like Sturgeon Bay have already had this policy in place, Luxemburg-Casco, Washington Island, and Kewaunee have quarantining as one of their mitigation strategies for COVID-exposed students.

The new CDC guidance comes as it was announced that Door County remains in the high community level for COVID-19 along with 20 other Wisconsin counties. At that level, it is recommended you wear a mask inside most buildings, stay up-to-date with your vaccinations, get tested if you show symptoms, and take additional precautions if you are considered at risk. Kewaunee County remains one of 36 counties in the state at the medium community level.