The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its guidelines for schools, offering vaccinated students the chance to go maskless this fall.
New CDC COVID-19 rules for schools
- Vaccinated students don’t have to wear masks.
- Classmates who have not been vaccinated still need to wear face masks, though, the CDC said.
- Teachers and students who aren’t vaccinated should continue to wear masks indoors, CNBC reports.
- Schools should maintain 3 feet of social distancing between students in classrooms.
- Schools should still recommend testing, hand-washing, staying home when sick and contact tracing for COVID-19 outbreaks, according to the CDC.
States veer away from CDC guidelines
The Washington Post reports that some states have been going their own way when it comes to schools and mask mandates.
- For example, Texas ended mask mandates in schools already.
- In Miami, face masks are optional.
- In Georgia, masks will no longer be required in buildings, too.
Recommendations for schools
The CDC still recommends teachers, students and staff get vaccinated to stop the pandemic.
- “Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic,” the CDC said. “Promoting vaccination can help schools safely return to in-person learning as well as extracurricular activities and sports.”