The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated mask guidelines Friday, saying students and teachers who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks while inside school buildings.
Currently, COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency approval for children ages 12 and older.
In the updated guidance, the CDC is not advising schools to require shots for teachers and vaccine-eligible kids. Guidance also does not state how school districts can verify if a student has been vaccinated or how parents will know which teachers are immunized.
While the CDC says that school districts should make in-person instruction in the fall 2021 a priority, guidance to maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms is still in place. For districts that cannot reach that goal, the CDC recommends indoor masking.
Decisions on how to move forward will remain local, whether at the state or district level. The CDC says localities should monitor community transmission, vaccination coverage, screening testing, and occurrence of outbreaks to guide decisions on the level of layered prevention strategies (e.g., physical distancing, screening testing).
