Sarasota schools: Licensed medical doctor must sign mask medical exemption form

Outbursts interrupt Sarasota School Board meeting

The emergency meeting, discussing school mask mandates, had to be paused due to interruptions from the public.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The superintendent of Sarasota County schools says medical exemption forms for the district's COVID-19 mask policy will only be accepted if they are signed by a licensed medical doctor.

The school board passed a 90-day emergency mask requirement for students and staff on August 20, which came with some stipulations. If the county's COVID-19 positivity rate fell below 8% three days in a row, the requirement would be lifted, unless positivity increased above 10%, at which time the mandate would return.

The positivity rate in Sarasota County was more than 18% at the time of the meeting. As of this writing, the county's seven-day positivity rate was 19%, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

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The emergency rule also included a medical exemption with a doctor's signature.

Now, school leaders are amending the medical exemption requirements to include only medical doctors licensed under Chapter 458, Florida Statutes; osteopathic physicians licensed under Chapter 459, Florida Statutes; or advanced registered nurse practitioners licensed under Chapter 464, Florida Statutes.

MORE: Hernando County school board passes mask mandate with parental opt-out

In addition to the updated requirement for medical exemptions, the district released a new form for providers to complete on behalf of any parent whose child requires the exemption.

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