Masks will not be required in Hood River County School District school facilities, including buses, beginning on next Monday, March 14.  In a statement by the district released late Friday, Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn said after consultation with the Hood River County Health Department, the district chose to no longer require masks in schools for a number of reasons, including a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases in Hood River County along with a low hospitalization rate and a high level of population immunity from both vaccination and infections.  Hood River County is categorized as low in the Centers for Disease and Prevention COVID-19 Community Levels.  Polkinghorn says the district will continue to monitor data by collecting and tracking self-reported positive COVID-19 cases for students and staff, require any student or staff who tests positive for COVID-19 to isolate for five days regardless of vaccination status, maintain cleaning and disinfection protocols, practice physical distancing to the greatest extent possible, offer masks to students, staff, and visitors at all district facilities, and provide COVID-19 testing and information for students and staff.