Auburn City Schools is reinstating its mask requirement beginning Tuesday, Jan. 18, the school system announced Sunday.

During the week of Jan. 10-14, the school district reported that 493 students, faculty and staff tested positive for COVID-19. Also, 429 students received notice of possible exposure. 

For the second week in a row, this is the most positive test results this academic year.

The Auburn Board of Education said in November it would reinstate the mask requirement if more than 0.5% of its total population of 10,400 students and employees reported a positive COVID test two weeks in a row. After 154 students and employees tested positive for COVID-19 last week, it was likely the requirement would come back into effect.

Many parents have expressed concern about the mandate, with one parent calling the Auburn Board of Education “monsters” at the board of education’s meeting on Jan. 11, the Opelika-Auburn News reported.

ACS urges parents to monitor their children's health for symptoms of illness.

"Parents and guardians are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our schools," ACS said in a Tweet.