After two-and-a-half long years of anticipation, the School officially lifted the school-wide mask mandate on Wednesday, March 30. Choate is now following a mask-optional policy, allowing masking in indoor spaces to become a personal choice rather than a requirement.
According to Dr. Miriam Cohen, the School’s Medical Director, the original plan was to lift the mask mandate on Monday, March 28. However, following the initial round of testing, several new Covid cases were discovered, and the decision to remove the mask mandate was pushed back to prevent extensive spread on campus. Dean of Students Mr. Mike Velez ’00 said, “The decision to delay the announcement had more to do with the health center trying to identify and test individuals who were close contacts, as opposed to the actual number of positive cases.” After three more rounds of consecutive negative testing, Dr. Cohen finally deemed it safe for the mask mandate to be removed, and on the night of Tuesday, March 29, a school-wide email was issued.
To determine the optimal date for lifting the mask mandate, Dr. Cohen researched and consulted many existing guidelines. “There are no specific guidelines for boarding high schools, so we need to understand guidelines and science to craft decisions that are best suited to protect our community,” she stated. Many of the guidelines were established in consultation with medical experts at Yale University and medical directors of peer boarding schools. Dr. Cohen also closely followed guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH), as well as participated in weekly meetings directed specifically toward Covid-19 in relation to schools and pediatricians.
Many Choate-specific circumstances were also taken into account before the official announcement of the lift. “We were taking our community vaccination rate into consideration. We were taking aspects of our community and levels of risk into consideration … at the end of the day, we’re kind of doing what we’ve done the last two years, which is putting the safety of our community members at the forefront,” stated Mr. Velez.
The announcement stirred up plenty of joy and relief for students and faculty members alike. Ty Holloway ’25 remarked, “I feel like a lot of students are really happy that they did this…I was pretty relieved. To be honest, I didn’t really mind wearing a mask, but I prefer not to. I’m happy about it.” Raye Osayimwese-Sisson ’23 also shared her excitement towards the many new possibilities she is able to enjoy now that masking is no longer required. “I am excited because I not only get to see my peers’ faces but because it feels as though things are sort of returning to normal. I feel like that’s said a lot, but it’s true. I think that [the] classroom dynamic will feel more personal now that we can see each other’s emotions.”
Conversely, the new optional masking policy is a concern for some community members who fear the increased likelihood of contracting Covid-19. International students, in particular, saw the issue of returning home and traveling overseas become more complicated. Lauren Hsu ’24, who chose to remain masked despite the recent policy changes, said, “I am still masking because my family is coming over from Hong Kong next week, and I will be seeing them. I don’t want to get them sick because if they test positive for Covid-19, they would have to cancel their flight home and the quarantine hotel booking, which would be messy and disruptive.” However, Dr. Cohen took this potential increase in infection into careful consideration. “I do think we will see more non-Covid illness on campus now that many people are no longer wearing masks. I think the places where Covid has spread on campus are in locations that people were already not masking properly,” she explained.
Overall, the lift of the mask mandate was a major step towards the transition back to normal activities and restoring the true Choate experience. Mr. Velez said, “I’m looking forward to seeing more smiling faces on campus. I think that’s one of the biggest things for me. This is a step forward, and I think, hopefully, that will in positive ways improve morale within the community.”
There remains, however, the possibility of having to mask again in indoor spaces should case numbers rapidly increase. As difficult and disappointing as the change may be, both the administration and Dr. Cohen recognize the importance of reinstating a masking mandate as a precaution to ensure student health. “The challenge would be if Covid numbers do rise on and off-campus, and we would need to start to mask again. I think that is important but would be difficult for everyone.”
For now, community members can delight in being able to connect with each other on a more personal level once again. As Jimena Acosta ’23 remarked, “One of my classes [has] only met once after the mandate was lifted, but the dynamic felt completely different: a little chaotic with the adjustment, but weirdly ‘free.’”
