BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge School System announced Wednesday it will continue to require masks on school campuses at the start of the spring 2022 semester. 

Read the full announcement below. 

After reviewing the most current community spread data; infection rates across staff and students; and upon the advisement of our Health Advisory Committee, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System will continue the current mask guidance from the fall 2021 semester.

Upon return of staff on Jan. 3, 2022, all staff, students and visitors to EBRPSS sites will be required to wear a mask or face covering.

The Health Advisory Committee comprises the area’s leading epidemiologists, infectious disease experts, Louisiana Department of Health advisers and physicians. The recommendation of the committee took into account a number of factors, including rates of infection among staff and students; community infection rates; and area hospitalizations.

The EBRPSS and Health Advisory Committee will re-evaluate our school and community level data at the end of January to determine if it is safe to consider optional masking.

“We have continued to make all public health decisions based upon the most recently available data and based upon the advice of our health care professionals. The health and safety of our staff and students always come first. We will continue to evaluate the data and will consider optional masking at such a time when it is safe for both students and employees to do so,” stated Superintendent Sito Narcisse, Ed. D.

The school system will continue to utilize all proven mitigation efforts, including deep cleaning and sanitizing of rooms; periodic handwashing; employee and staff testing; improved air filtration systems; and other proven mitigation efforts.