CANFIELD, Ohio - Canfield Local Schools will be mandating masks for all students in grades K-6, as well as staff and visitors.

The mandate will go into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 22. The mandate only applies when indoors and there will be "mask break" opportunities where students and staff can remain six feet apart for less than 15 minutes.

The district is currently working to figure out a new procedure for lunchtime to provide more space between students to reduce lunchtime quarantines. 

Canfield Local Schools' issued an official statement on this mandate on their website Tuesday. According to Canfield Local Schools Superintendent, Joe Knoll, the mandate is being enacted due to a high number of quarantined students.

According to Knoll's statement, during the week of Sept. 13 Canfield Village Middle School has had 22 reported quarantines, C.H. Campbell Elementary had 42 reported quarantines and Hilltop Elementary had 35 reported quarantines.

According to the Ohio Department of Health's website, the district has 16 total COVID-19 cases in students and five total cases in faculty. 

These policies will be reevaluated after four weeks.