Students, faculty and staff within the Athens City Schools System will be required to wear facial coverings while inside of buildings when the 2021-2022 school year begins Wednesday.

The ACS board voted unanimously to enact the mandate during Monday’s meeting based on the guidance of the Alabama Department of Public Health and other groups given the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

The mandate goes into effect Tuesday, with no time frame announced during the meeting as to when the requirement may be lifted.

The News Courier will have more on the issue in an upcoming edition.