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Chicago To Require Face Masks In Public Schools

The guidance will apply to all students, staff and guests regardless of vaccination status.

By: Simon Kaufman

Posted at 1:15 PM, Jul 23, 2021

and last updated 2021-07-23 13:15:41-04

In Chicago, public school students will be required to wear face masks when they head back to classrooms next month.

The head of Chicago Public Schools says that guidance will apply to all students, even if they've been vaccinated.

It will also apply to teachers and other staff in the building.

The district also says it will try to maintain three feet of social distancing when possible and spread students out during meals, with some eating in classrooms and others in the cafeteria.

That new guidance follows the advice of health experts and comes on the heels of some outbreaks among younger Americans.

In upstate New York, 31 kids under 12 years old tested positive for the virus after an outbreak at a sleepaway camp. None of them are seriously ill.

Children under the age of 12 are still not eligible for the vaccine. President Biden says he believes that will change soon but has given no definitive timeline for that.