Mask mandate lifted early; student thoughts

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A-West students have attended games and events the entire year with Covid-19 restrictions and the rule of wearing a mask; recently Jefferson county mask mandate was set to lift February 18th, kids were excited to get back to the normality of school. On  February 10th Jefferson county held a meeting regarding lifting the mask mandate this week. The results; we get to take our masks off starting the 12th.

“I can’t wait,” says Freshman Aubreigh Kincaid “Starting off high school with a mask has really been a downgrade, I’m excited to see what everyone looks like. I’ve been going to school with kids and I don’t know what they look like.” Explains Kincaid.

Our A-West student body and staff have concurred these mandates, keeping our school safe waiting for the day we get to take off our mask.

“I can finally go to games and school events and even just talking to my friends in the hallway without having to ask “what” everytime someone talks to me because I can’t hear them through their mask,” continues Kincaid.

Masks aren’t all a minus; they have kept us safe for months, but people are starting to move on. Students at A-West are tired of hiding their faces everyday.

“I went to lunch one day and my friend took their masks off and was eating and I was shocked because I hadn’t seen her full face before, almost like I had become friends with a stranger. I’m hoping that this whole Covid-19 is dying down, I don’t remember what normal feels like without Covid anymore” concludes Kincaid.

Eagerness awaits students as the clock strikes midnight on Friday February 11, 2022. 

“Once I heard Jeffco was lifting the mask mandate sooner than later I was so excited” Explains Freshman Chase Kholr.

CBS News says that even though the mandate was lifted early, masks are still very much a thing, Covid-19 still lives with us.

“I mean yeah safety but I feel like there’s a thrill factor, I’ve been going to school for so long with a mask I almost feel weird without one. Like I’ll get in trouble for not having one. I can’t wait to see the other kids at A-West without a mask. I’ve pictured what they’ve looked like for so long,” explains Kholr.

Covid has been in our lives for almost 2 years now and we can finally say things are starting to die down and Students couldn’t be more thrilled. When I first read the email that we get to take our masks off at school, I was ecstatic.

“I don’t know, I can’t really explain how I feel, I’m just really happy that they lifted our mask requirements. I feel like things are going to be somewhat normal again.” Concludes Kholr

A sense of relief floods over our minds knowing that health officials and school officials have deemed it safe to be at school without a mask after so long, finally some normality for students.