CDC: Universal mask-wearing recommended for K-12 schools

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its masking recommendations Tuesday, saying that masks should be worn by everyone in schools, regardless of their vaccination status.

But the Grundy County regional superintendent for schools said the pattern in which guidelines have been released make it difficult for school leaders to plan. State officials have directed all schools in Illinois to have students attend school in person in the fall, with remote learning available on a limited basis – for example, if an unvaccinated student is under a quarantine order from their local health department.

Some area districts have faced vocal opposition from parents and others opposed to masks for students, saying it should be parental choice.

By midafternoon on Tuesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced it was “fully adopting” the CDC’s revised guidelines. “While data continues to show the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S., including against the delta variant, we are still seeing the virus rapidly spread among the unvaccinated,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a prepared statement.

Ezike said the risk is greater for everyone if the spread of the virus is not curtailed.

“We know masking can help prevent transmission of COVID-19 and its variants,” she said. “Until more people are vaccinated, we join CDC in recommending everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in areas of substantial and high transmissions, and in K-12 schools.”

That’s the news that area school districts have been waiting on before finalizing their return-to-learn plans and welcoming back students to full-time, in-person learning in less than a month.

The IDPH said it would be updating the school FAQ document. Earlier on Monday, it posted an FAQ based on the July 9 CDC recommendations, which included masking for unvaccinated students but not the entire school population.

Regional Superintendent Chris Mehochko, of the Grundy/Kendall Regional Office of Education, said the change could be a bit confusing for superintendents and school boards as they go by an IDPH FAQ one day and a different one the next.

“The word is ‘frustrating,’ ” Mehochko said. “We are going to meet with the heads of the Kendall and Grundy health departments and the local superintendents. All situations are different. We have Oswego, which has about 18,000 students, down to South Wilmington, which has just over 100. Some of the districts have buildings that make it easier to space the kids out and some don’t.

“We just want some guidance. The school board members are there to serve the community and students as best they can, and they understand the weight of the decisions they are going to have to make. A lot of them have made the decision to let parents make the choice, but now it seems like that may be taken away.”

The new recommendations further state that all should wear masks indoors in counties where COVID-19 transmission is substantial or high. The IDPH considers “substantial transmission” to be in areas were there are 50 to 99 cases per 100,000 population over a seven-day period; “high transmission” is areas with more than 100 cases per 100,000 over a seven-day period.

“The question I have asked, and I don’t know the answer to this, is at what point to we just accept that COVID-19 is here and deal with it like regular cold and flu season,” Mehochko said. “The deaths and serious sickness are not really coming from the school kids’ age group. This past spring, we were able to have sports like wrestling, track and field, baseball and softball where kids are in close proximity to each other. This summer, we have had travel sports return.”

Morris Community High School District 101 Superintendent Craig Ortiz said that like many of the surrounding school districts, District 101 will recommend that unvaccinated students wear masks, while vaccinated students do not have to.

“The message everywhere has been that everyone should get vaccinated,” he said. “But I don’t know of any districts that are going to enforce that nonvaccinated students must wear masks. That could change. I know that we would rather hear that everyone has to wear a mask or no one does. Our kids were fine with wearing masks last year, and if they have to again, I am sure they will.

“We know in the back of our minds that we might have to go back to everyone wearing masks. It will be hard if we say that group A has to wear a mask and group B doesn’t.”

Ortiz said his district does not currently have a policy that allows for remote learning if a student’s parent decides to opt out of in-person schooling.

“We want everyone back in school, and the governor has said he wants everyone back in school,” Ortiz said. “If a parent doesn’t want their student to come to school, they will have to do home schooling. If there is a legitimate medical reason and documentation, we would take that on a case-by-case basis, but we will not be allowing remote learning to those families that just don’t want their kids to be in the school.

“We know that we might have to change that if there is a mandate from the state. We have the technology and ability to put that back in place if we need to.”

Another concern Ortiz has is the fact that there is an annual increase in sickness once school starts.

“We see that every year,” he said. “You get the kids back together in school, and the number of kids getting colds or the flu goes up. It’s something we know happens.”

The next District 101 board meeting is Aug. 9, and the board will discuss the policy.

“The next board meeting is before school starts, and we will discuss it,” he said. “Every time I send out an email to the parents, I always say that it is subject to change. Honestly, it will be easier on the schools if the state says everyone has to mask up or no one has to mask up.”