Masking guidelines are changing in Ingham and Jackson County, and that includes the City of Lansing, Lansing Community College, and Jackson Public Schools.
This week, these entities introduced a new mask mandate.
Starting Monday Aug. 9, City of Lansing employees and people on the LCC campus, regardless of their vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask inside.
The spread of COVID-19 in Ingham, Clinton, Eaton, Barry, Livingston, Shiawassee, Jackson, Hillsdale and Calhoun counties has been “substantial” over the past few weeks, according to local health officials.
Statewide, the health department stopped short of mandating masking indoors, but highly recommended it for school buildings.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it’s encouraging masking inside school buildings for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated students, faculty, staff and visitors.
The Jackson Public School District is one of those taking after the state's recommendation.
On Friday, Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Beal sent a message to families that everyone riding the bus must wear a mask.
If a student forgets a mask, they'll be provided a free one by the bus driver.
Jackson Public Schools' new mask mandate takes effect August 9 and affects Hunt Elementary School students who returned to the classroom at the beginning of the month.
Other schools within the Jackson Public Schools District will go back to in-person learning August 25.
The new guidelines are in line with those made July 27 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state and local health departments updated their recommendations following recent surges of COVID-19 cases, specifically related to the spread of the more contagious Delta variant.