Following outbreak, Billings schools issue mask rules

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 8/23/21

A COVID-19 outbreak among a Billings Skyview fall sports team triggered Billings Schools Superintendent Greg Upham to issue a mask mandate for all students, teachers and visitors. This reverses his previous mask optional policy instated on Aug. 19. Last week, six positive cases and two close contacts were reported on the team, prompting game cancelations and quarantines. “If this same rate of transmission occurred in our classrooms during the first week of school, we could potentially have hundreds, if not thousands, of our students out of class within a short time frame if we do not mask. School districts in other states have already seen that occur,” Upham told MTN News.