Masks protect Manatee schools from COVID-19. Some of the most at-need schools got donations

Manatee County’s youngest students received thousands of free masks on Friday, as local officials urged the community to remain vigilant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Oct. 23, the Mask Up Manatee Coalition will provide 11,000 masks to 15 Title I elementary schools, which serve a high number of students from low-income families. The schools are located in some of Manatee County’s hardest-hit zip codes.

According to data from the state and the school district, COVID-19 impacted the following Title I elementary schools and their neighborhoods:

• Abel Elementary, 34243: more than 670 cases in the area, three at the school.
  
  
• Ballard Elementary, 34205: more than 1,140 cases in the area, two at the school.
  
  
• Bayshore Elementary, 34207: more than 1,150 cases in the area, two at the school.
  
  
• Blackburn Elementary, 34221: more than 1,790 cases in the area, two at the school.
  
  
• Daughtrey Elementary, 34203: more than 1,370 cases in the area, one at the school.
  
  
• Manatee, Elementary, 34208: more than 1,980 cases in the area, none at the school.
  
  
• Moody Elementary, 34209: more than 800 cases in the area, two at the school.
  
  
• Oneco Elementary, 34203: more than 1,370 cases in the area, none at the school.
  
  
• Palm View, 34221: more than 1,790 cases in the area, five at the school.
  
  
• Palmetto Elementary, 34221: more than 1,790 cases in the area, four at the school.
• Prine Elementary, 34205: more than 1,140 cases in the area, two at the school.
  
  
• Rogers Garden-Bullock, 34205: more than 1,140 cases in the area, none at the school.
  
  
• Samoset Elementary, 34208: more than 1,980 cases in the area, two at the school.
  
  
• Sea Breeze Elementary, 34209: more than 800 cases in the area, one at the school.
  
  
• Tillman Elementary, 34221: more than 1,790 cases in the area, none at the school.
  
  

School officials believe a district-wide mask requirement was helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 on local campuses. And with more elementary students returning to in-person classes, local leaders are emphasizing safety and personal responsibility.

They distributed thousands of masks on Friday morning, starting at Tillman Elementary School. The campus, 1415 29th Street E. in Palmetto, falls under one of Manatee County’s top zip codes for COVID-19 infections, known as a “red zone,” yet the school has no recorded cases after two months of classes.

Dr. Jennifer Bencie, who heads the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, joined Superintendent Cynthia Saunders for the first mask delivery.

“We really do feel it is making a difference and it is keeping the spread at least somewhat controlled and contained,” Saunders said of the masks.

She then traveled to Palm View K-8 with Cheri Coryea, the county administrator. The school has recorded five COVID-19 cases and 68 related quarantines after people were exposed to the infected employees and students.

At a district-wide level, there have been 120 COVID-19 cases and more than 1,400 related quarantines at K-12 schools, technical programs and district offices since classes began on Aug. 17.

“We’re reminding everyone that COVID-19 is still with us,” Saunders said. “We have to be vigilant and we need to make sure that we’re continuing to wear a mask and following all the CDC safety guidelines.”

Emergency policy set to expire

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention included masks in its guidance for schools.

The agency offered few exceptions to its guidance: children younger than 2 should not wear a mask, nor should someone who has trouble breathing or someone who is unable to remove the mask without help.

“Teach and reinforce use of masks,” the CDC guidance states. “The use of masks is one of many important mitigation strategies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Masks are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms.”

“Appropriate and consistent use of masks is most important when students, teachers, and staff are indoors and when social distancing is difficult to implement or maintain,” it continues. “Individuals should be frequently reminded not to touch the face covering or mask and to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.”

The School Board of Manatee County added a mask mandate to its policies and voted 4-1, with Gina Messenger dissenting, to approve the emergency measure on Aug. 11. With the CDC guidance in mind, board members later revised the policy and added “allowances,” providing some flexibility for young students and children with disabilities.

Emergency policies expire after 90 days, meaning the board will have to revisit the issue next month. Board members have the option to solidify a general mask policy, for use whenever there’s a health emergency, and they would have to vote to activate that policy at their Nov. 10 meeting.

The board was likely to move forward with that option, Saunders said, citing the influx of students returning to campus. She also said the policy would be flexible, allowing the board to activate or deactivate the mask requirement whenever needed.

As of Thursday, the district expected a 12 percent increase in the number of elementary students attending full-time, in-person classes. Manatee also plans to remove the hybrid option from elementary schools and most middle schools, meaning the number of in-person students will further increase.

According to data from the district, many families are sending their children back to local elementary schools:

• 82 percent chose in-person classes in the second quarter, compared to 70 percent in the first quarter.
• 16 percent chose online learning in the second quarter, compared to 28 in the first.
• 2 percent of families chose hybrid in both quarters.

“Many more students are coming back into the building,” Saunders said. “I don’t think they feel comfortable right now saying that we can remove the masks, especially until we see how everything unfolds and with flu season coming and everything else.”

Elementary students return to campus

With a quarter of the pandemic school year behind them, some parents feel confident enough to send their children back to campus. Others saw their children struggle with digital classes, while many working families had no choice but to send their children back.

“I work full time,” Belsy Peguero said, waiting for her daughters outside of Palmetto Elementary School. “Full time and a half, actually. I work two jobs.”

And regardless of her busy schedule, Peguero felt that COVID-19 posed little risk to her young daughters, who started the year on campus. While it can lead to severe illness and complications in children, they are less likely to develop severe illness compared with adults, according to the CDC.

Her children, 8-year-old Melaney and 11-year-old Alicia, left the school donning cloth masks. Melaney said it made her uncomfortable, while her sister was largely indifferent to the new way of life.

“It’s not bad,” Alicia said. “It’s OK. But if we’re six feet away, we should be able to take it off.”

Neither had received a face covering from the Mask Up Manatee Coalition on Friday, but after seeing a picture, Alicia was excited to have her own. “That is really cute,” she said.

Spearheaded by the school district and the county, the Mask Up Manatee Coalition includes more than 45 members from local nonprofits, businesses and health care agencies. The group will continue delivering masks to Title I elementary schools next week.

“Not only are we protecting ourselves, we feel, but also protecting others,” said County Administrator Coryea.