With about a month until Illinois students start returning to classrooms, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released its updated COVID-19 guidelines for schools, which were adopted July 9 by the Illinois Department of Public Health for K-12 schools.
The federal guidelines stress the importance of students returning to classrooms, and the Illinois state superintendent has declared mandatory, fully in-person learning for all students. The new recommendations slightly loosen some requirements – such as students wearing masks outdoors – for everyone and allow freedom from many COVID-19 restrictions for fully vaccinated students and staff. However, many restrictions still apply to unvaccinated members of school communities and will disappoint those who had urged relaxed rules for everyone.
Updated guidelines:
- Vaccination encouraged, not required
- Masks not required for vaccinated persons, but still required indoors for unvaccinated ones
- Physical distancing
- Quarantining
- Screening testing
- Cleaning and disinfecting
- Other guidelines
Read the full report from Illinois Policy here.
It is important to note the difference in language used by the CDC and IDPH in their guidance. It states: “Mask SHOULD be worn…by individuals not fully vaccinated”. CDC/IDPH guidance does state that students are required to do so.
ISBE needs to update and correct its language to reflect that of CDC/IDPH.
CDC guidance also states that localities should monitor community transmission to determine layered transmission strategies.
I believe this allows room for the Board of Education to vote to make masks optional.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html
^^ correction: CDC/IDPH guidance doe NOT state that students are required to do so.