Highland updates its mandate on face coverings for school

RIVERSIDE - In advance of recommendations from the state, the Highland Community School District changed its face-covering mandate.

The new mandate does not allow face shields, everyone on school property must wear face masks. This new mandate will go into effect on Wednesday.

The Iowa Department of Public Health announced on Tuesday that individuals who come in close contact with someone who is infected and if both parties were wearing masks, the close contact individual does not have to quarantine.

This does not apply to healthcare or residential settings.

'It's a very, very big change,” said school nurse Cindy Peiffer. 'I as a parent expect everybody to be wearing a mask because I don't want my kid quarantined.”

The school is able to provide masks for students of all ages.

Peiffer said this is a game changer and makes the difference between quarantining a whole classroom or only the kids who sat next to them during lunch with a face shield.