LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky's mask mandate was lifted June 11, and the rollback started immediately at summer camps across the state.
The Kentucky Department of Education said several school districts asked for clarification after the mask mandate was dropped.
"We were returning to not seeing mask-wearing or all of the virus mitigation steps in all aspects of life," KDE Commissioner Jason Glass said. "And so to hold schools out from that when kids can be interacting with others in any place in the community didn't seem to make sense any longer as well.
"And we still continue with CDC guidance that continues to be updated as virus levels drop in our community. So local school districts can look to that CDC guidance and follow that — or parts of it — if they choose to."
Summer camps at schools now look more like they did pre-pandemic. At a Jefferson County Public Schools literacy camp at Goldsmith Elementary School, students are learning about business. Six-hundred-and-fifty students went to camps like this.
"At the beginning, we did have to wear masks," camper Ricky Young said. "But they said something about JCPS bringing the mask thing down, so we don't have to wear masks. I like that, because we've had to wear masks for a long time."
Even though masks are not required, you will still find some people wearing them.
"I'm wearing a mask because I'm going on trip in a few weeks or days and I don't want to get sick," camper Kendall Posey said. "I want to enjoy the full experience and I know most kids aren't vaccinated yet. So I just decided to wear a mask."
JCPS starts in-person Backpack League camps Monday, and they run until July 30. The district says 6,000 JCPS students are registered.
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