Though_CJS these_DT0 test_NN1 results_NN2 look_VVB good_AJ0 ,_PUN the_AT0 same_DT0 cannot_NN1 be_VBI said_VVN for_PRP the_AT0 county_NN1 's_POS academics_NN2 ._SENT As_CJS Montgomery_NP0 's_POS was_VBD one_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 last_ORD school_NN1 systems_NN2 to_TO0 reopen_VVI last_ORD year_NN1 ,_PUN it_PNP is_VBZ perhaps_AV0 unsurprising_VVG that_DT0 math_NN1 and_CJC literacy_NN1 rates_NN2 of_PRF young_AJ0 learners_NN2 plummeted_VVN by_PRP 20_CRD percent_NN0 and_CJC 35_CRD percent_NN0 ,_PUN respectively_AV0 ,_PUN with_PRP children_NN2 of_PRF color_NN1 and_CJC disadvantaged_AJ0 students_NN2 faring_VVG even_AV0 worse_AJC ._SENT Each_DT0 stolen_AJ0 school_NN1 day_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 thousands_CRD of_PRF children_NN2 pointlessly_AV0 placed_VVN into_PRP quarantine_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 lost_AJ0 opportunity_NN1 to_TO0 undo_VVI this_DT0 damage_NN1 ._SENT Indeed_AV0 ,_PUN studies_NN2 have_VHB shown_VVN that_CJT even_AV0 missing_VVG just_AV0 a_AT0 few_DT0 days_NN2 of_PRF school_NN1 ,_PUN for_PRP example_NN1 because_CJS of_PRF snow_NN1 closures_NN2 ,_PUN has_VHZ significant_AJ0 negative_AJ0 impacts_NN2 on_PRP student_NN1 performance_NN1 ._SENT Large_AJ0 outdoor_AJ0 gatherings_NN2 in_PRP the_AT0 county_NN1 ,_PUN such_DT0 as_PRP Gaithersburg_NP0 's_POS Oktoberfest_NP0 ,_PUN Rockville_NP0 's_POS classic_AJ0 car_NN1 show_NN1 ,_PUN July_NP0 Fourth_ORD fireworks_NN2 and_CJC Festival_NN1 of_PRF Lights_NN2 continue_VVB to_TO0 be_VBI canceled_VVN over_PRP "_PUQ public_AJ0 health_NN1 concerns_NN2 related_VVN to_PRP the_AT0 COVID-19_NN1 pandemic_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ Meanwhile_AV0 ,_PUN the_AT0 rest_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 country_NN1 is_VBZ safely_AV0 gathering_VVG outdoors_AV0 ,_PUN even_AV0 at_PRP large_AJ0 festivals_NN2 and_CJC sporting_AJ0 events_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 University_NN1 of_PRF Florida_NP0 recently_AV0 reported_VVD ,_PUN "_PUQ Despite_PRP concern_NN1 about_PRP packed_AJ0 college_NN1 football_NN1 stadiums_NN2 during_PRP the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 ,_PUN college_NN1 towns_NN2 like_PRP Gainesville_NP0 are_VBB n't_XX0 seeing_VVG upticks_NN2 in_PRP COVID-19_AJ0 cases_NN2 ,_PUN said_VVD University_NN1 of_PRF Florida_NP0 epidemiologist_NN1 Cindy_NP0 Prins_NP0 ,_PUN Ph.D._NP0 ,_PUN who_PNQ tracks_VVZ coronavirus_NN1 trends_NN2 nationwide_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ Though_CJS Montgomery_NP0 libraries_NN2 finally_AV0 reopened_VVN after_PRP one_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 longest_AJS closures_NN2 in_PRP the_AT0 country_NN1 ,_PUN they_PNP 're_VBB still_AV0 offering_VVG limited_AJ0 services_NN2 ._SENT A_AT0 county_NN1 library_NN1 official_NN1 told_VVD us_PNP this_DT0 week_NN1 that_CJT story_NN1 times_NN2 and_CJC other_AJ0 indoor_AJ0 programs_NN2 would_VM0 not_XX0 resume_VVI until_CJS vaccines_NN2 are_VBB approved_AJ0 and_CJC available_AJ0 for_PRP children_NN2 ._SENT Meanwhile_AV0 ,_PUN teen_NN1 programming_NN1 remains_VVZ virtual_AJ0 ,_PUN despite_PRP almost_AV0 every_AT0 single_AJ0 teen_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 county_NN1 having_VHG at_PRP least_AV0 one_CRD vaccine_NN1 dose_NN1 ._SENT Many_DT0 in_PRP Montgomery_NP0 County_NN1 boast_VVB that_CJT our_DPS mitigation_NN1 efforts_NN2 ,_PUN particularly_AV0 our_DPS strong_AJ0 adherence_NN1 to_PRP masking_NN1 ,_PUN are_VBB the_AT0 reason_NN1 we_PNP 're_VBB doing_VDG so_AV0 well_AV0 ._SENT However_AV0 ,_PUN an_AT0 analysis_NN1 of_PRF mask_NN1 mandates_NN2 in_PRP California_NP0 suggests_VVZ that_CJT it_PNP is_VBZ vaccination_NN1 rates_NN2 ,_PUN rather_AV0 than_CJS masking_NN1 ,_PUN that_CJT dictate_VVB infection_NN1 rates_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 SF_NN1 Gate_NN1 reports_VVZ ,_PUN "_PUQ Orange_AJ0 County_NN1 —_PUN a_AT0 non-mask-mandate_AJ0 county_NN1 —_PUN had_VHD a_AT0 very_AV0 similar_AJ0 outcome_NN1 to_PRP neighboring_AJ0 Los_NP0 Angeles_NP0 County_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 first_ORD California_NP0 county_NN1 to_TO0 bring_VVI back_AVP indoor_AJ0 masking_NN1 in_PRP response_NN1 to_PRP delta_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Importantly_AV0 ,_PUN these_DT0 two_CRD counties_NN2 had_VHD comparable_AJ0 vaccination_NN1 rates_NN2 and_CJC ,_PUN in_PRP fact_NN1 ,_PUN there_EX0 was_VBD a_AT0 near-perfect_AJ0 correlation_NN1 between_PRP vaccination_NN1 and_CJC hospitalizations_NN2 of_PRF all_DT0 counties_NN2 analyzed_VVN ._SENT Montgomery_NP0 County_NN1 is_VBZ among_PRP the_AT0 nation_NN1 's_VBZ most_AV0 highly_AV0 vaccinated_VVN counties_NN2 ._SENT 
