Prince George’s County students return to classroom as US COVID-19 cases climb

Students returned to the classroom in Prince George's County Wednesday for the start of a new school year as coronavirus cases continue to climb across the country.

LAUREL, Md. - Students returned to the classroom in Prince George's County Wednesday for the start of a new school year as coronavirus cases continue to climb across the country.

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Like school systems nationwide, Prince George's County has put into place safety protocols to try to keep children healthy and in class.

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Universal masking mandates apply to all students and staff inside buildings and on buses regardless of vaccination status. Social distancing will be put into place when possible and all buildings will be cleaned at the end of each school day.

PGCPS recommends COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone age 12 and up and all staff are required to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing.

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The communities of Prince George's County were some of the hardest hit as COVID-19 spread across the country last year. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the county had a 'high' community transmission rate with a positivity rate of over six percent. Over 68 percent of Prince George's County's eligible population has been fully vaccinated.

The COVID-19 delta variant is filling hospitals nationwide and leaving an alarming number of children sick. Coronavirus deaths in some places have climbed to their highest levels of the entire pandemic.