OMAHA- The Douglas County Health Department is recommending to school superintendents that everyone in local schools wear masks, County Health Director Lindsay Huse said Tuesday.

“The recommendation to all school districts was to follow CDC, AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommendations and they were all given the exact same recommendations, which are that everyone right now should be in masks,” Huse told the Douglas County Board. “How they implement that is a local decision, although we have worked closely with all superintendents on how they are going to make that decision and what that’s going to look like.”

As of Tuesday, a majority of metro Omaha districts were still planning to start the school year with masks optional. But it’s possible some districts may be prompted to reconsider following Monday’s announcement from Westside Community Schools that masks will be required for students, staff and visitors at its elementary schools.

Huse made clear Tuesday where the Health Department stands and why.

Huse expressed concern about COVID cases rising among Douglas County school-age children, especially elementary students. She said the number of cases among children under 19 had tripled in the past couple of weeks, and that they comprise 26% of all COVID cases in the county — the largest of any age group.

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