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Beshear's mask mandate means last-minute changes for many Kentucky schools

Several counties were planning on just recommending masks - until Governor Beshear signed a new executive order Tuesday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — All students, staff and visitors are now required to wear masks while in Kentucky schools.

Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday, mandating that everyone - regardless of vaccination status - will now have to wear a mask inside Kentucky school facilities. The order also applies to public and private preschools and child care centers with anyone over two years old.

"We are to the point where we cannot allow our kids to go into these buildings unprotected, unvaccinated and face this delta variant," Gov. Beshear said.

On Tuesday, 2,500 new COVID-19 cases and a positivity rate of 11.05% were reported in Kentucky. The governor said the state has not seen numbers this high since January.

Credit: WHAS
Data from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services shows a major increase in hospitalizations from COVID-19 between July and August.

The uptick in cases is also causing hospitalizations in kids. Officials said about 192 children have been hospitalized - a 45.7% increase from the previous week.

Beshear said he is standing behind local leadership who may be criticized or receive parental pushback because of the order -- adding that the contagious variant poses a threat to in-person learning, especially among kids too young to get vaccinated, if masks aren't worn.

“Everybody going into our schools, daycares and the rest needs to be wearing mask so they can stay in,” he said. “I strongly suggest local leadership – strongly support it. This is where we provide the united front.”

RELATED: COVID diagnosis in U.S. children up 84% amid surge, experts say

Beshear said there will be religious exemptions that will be explained in the full executive order.

Some school districts, including Kentucky's largest, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), had already planned on requiring masks. However, others had to change their policies at the last minute due to the mandate.

"While Henry County Public Schools had hoped to respect family choice in regard to their students wearing masks at school, we must now comply with the executive order issued by Governor Andy Beshear," Henry County Schools said in a statement on Facebook. Henry County returned to school Wednesday.

Schools that had to change their policies unexpectedly assured families that students would not be turned away and masks would be provided if needed. 

Shortly after Tuesday's announcement, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said he planned to challenge Gov. Beshear's order in the Kentucky Supreme Court. In a series of tweets sent Tuesday night, Cameron said his office received a copy of the order before 5 p.m. and were “actively reviewing it.”

In Indiana, there are currently no statewide rules concerning masks in schools. Each district is responsible for settings its own policies, and some are using a color-coded system based on the spread of COVID-19 in their county.

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