Today is the first day all students, staff, and visitors to Berrien County schools need to wear a mask indoors. The order was issued by the Berrien County Health Department late last month. Several parents protested the order outside Lakeshore High School this morning, Others protested at St. Joseph schools, even though that district had already enacted a mask mandate before the health department acted. Lakeshore schools have been in session for a week, while today was the first day for St. Joseph. Opponents of students wearing masks argue it is child abuse and contend children cannot get COVID-19 or are at low risk. Case data from the state refutes both of those arguments. Children younger than 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19, which was among the reasons for the mandate.
