The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated the COVID transmission-risk rating for Franklin County from high to medium. In light of that positive change, all facilities operated by the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities will shift safety protocols to mask-friendly or mask optional.

“Mask friendly” means that we want staff, students, parents and others visiting our facilities to feel comfortable making decisions about masks based on their individual circumstances. If someone has a compromising health condition or other reasons to wear a mask, we encourage this and ask that others be respectful of individual decisions.

Our agency has masks available at our facilities. We encourage everyone to continue to follow all safety protocols, including frequent hand-washing, vaccines to lessen the risk of COVID, staying home when experiencing symptoms, testing, maintaining sanitizing practices and other standard precautions.

Should case counts and hospitalizations increase and we receive updated guidance from health officials, we will be responsive. Masks could again be required.

We thank everyone for their cooperation during this pandemic and are pleased that our community’s risk level has been reduced to medium.