Thousands of students in a central Florida school district were forced to either quarantine or isolate due to a COVID outbreak after the first week of returning to in-person classes.
Hillsborough County Public Schools officials say as of Monday morning, 5,599 students and 316 employees are isolating after either testing positive or in quarantine after being in close proximity with someone who had tested positive, according to Newsweek.
The district had issued a temporary mask mandate for students. But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order blocking local officials from instituting such mandates.
DeSantis’ order forced the school district to offer parents the opportunity to opt their children out of the requirement.
However, the district provided masks to students and members of staff who asked for them and had soap and hand sanitizer available for use on the campus.
According to Newsweek, district officials scheduled an emergency board meeting for Wednesday to discuss the COVID outbreak thus far this school year and to explore “the best way to mitigate against the spread of the virus, up to and including mandatory face coverings for all students and staff.”
DeSantis has threatened to cut funding to school districts in the state that defy his executive order banning mask mandates.,
