Plano Senior High School is halfway through the optional mask mandate which started Aug. 26, 2021 and it has had a significant effect on the amount of students that are contracting COVID-19.

     “I think it was necessary to implement the mandate so we didn’t have to go back to online school,” senior Reed Sinclair said. “This is trying to stop the spread of COVID before it starts, even though it can be uncomfortable sometimes.”

     With the introduction of the mandate starting Aug. 26, there have been less cases of spreading which is having a positive impact on the health of others. There has been a surge in the amount of students wearing masks after the mandate was implemented and there has been a decrease in the number of reported cases of COVID. 

     The event is set to end on Sept. 24. The hope is that the month-long mandate will eliminate or lessen the impact of the virus on students and staff who are coming to school in close proximity to others. It is also meant to keep all people attending school as healthy as possible as the year progresses.

     “The district said peak COVID-19 numbers have already surpassed those reached in 2020 and that it will continue to consult with Collin County Health Care Services and the Texas Education Agency before amending health protocols,” reporter Craig Huber said. “The district has additionally launched a COVID-19 dashboard that details COVID-19 cases among students and staff that as of this writing is current to Friday, Aug. 20.”

     The masks are meant to be a buffer to the virus, not a total fix. With the school and district consulting with health officials, there is a possibility that the mandate could be lengthened based on cases of the virus, but it is not a guarantee.

     “The mask mandate is a good thing, especially for those who are not vaccinated. It gives those who don’t want a vaccine another option,” senior Kensie Lee said. “Personally, the mandate hasn’t affected me much but I wear a mask as a personal precaution.”

     The mandate is a good way to slow down the spread of COVID throughout the school. It has had an effect that was clearly represented through the number of cases dropping on the PISD COVID Dashboard.