JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — Megan Peters plans to follow the rules after hearing the back-to-school safety recommendations from the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.
“What I would say is that we are going to go ahead and be cautious rather than be sorry,” said Peters, who has school-age children.
JCDHE wants school districts to promote vaccinations, require indoor mask wearing for those who aren’t fully vaccinated and exclude people with suspected, confirmed and close contact of confirmed COVID -19 cases.
“I don’t think that they are making these decisions to be in opposition with the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]," Peters said. "I think they are just looking at how it’s affecting our area and encouraging people to behave in a way that can stop this before it gets really out of hand."
Peters, who has one child who is fully vaccinated and another who currently is ineligible, said she will do whatever it takes to protect her children.
“We’re probably going to have them wear them," Peters said. "I actually talked to my daughter who is 13. I asked her, 'Would you be more comfortable wearing a mask?' and she said, 'Yeah, I would be.'"
41 Action News spoke to more parents at Roe Park who agreed with Peters, in hopes that their children’s school district will follow the JCDHE recommendations to keep their children safe before returning to school.
“At least with our school district, they do a pretty good job," mother Courtney Jansen said. "They put all new air circulation in, and my kids wear a mask when they are inside anyways. They don't have a problem wearing a mask."
Mother Tara Lytle said the increase in cases does cause some worry.
“I feel more comfortable with my teenager who is fully vaccinated, but most definitely for my elementary school kid," she said. "He is just too young."
Now parents will wait for word from school leaders on what will be done to protect students, especially those too young to be vaccinated.
