On Thursday, September 30th, Theresa Smith, Associate Head of Schools, announced major adjustments to Webb’s COVID-19 protocols as a result of the school’s 95% vaccination rate as of October 1st.

The Webb Medical Advisory Board approved the following changes that will go into effect on October 1st:

Students no longer need to wear masks outdoors, except for large gatherings of over 100 or if in close proximity to each other.

Students may leave campus without direct adult supervision within a 10-mile radius of campus, and upperclassmen boarders can ride with day students within state laws.

Students may attend indoor sports events in limited quantities with masks.

With the assistance of the Health Center, students who previously did not have access to local vaccines were able to get vaccinated.

“I think what makes this [update] possible is our high vaccination rate in our community, which is especially remarkable because of the age groups here,” Stephanie Baron (‘96), Health Center Director, said.

“The other part is that with our testing, we are not seeing [any] cases. Even in [Los Angeles] County itself, everything is trending downwards from case rates, hospitalizations, and death rates, so that indicates that everything is working well, and we can back off some things.”

Testing schedules will remain the same, and student athletes will get tested regularly. If cases start to rise in the Webb community, the administration will take steps to change regulations to prioritize safety.

“Webb is progressing towards a safer environment while still giving students freedom,” Chance Rebish (‘23) said.