CDC now says vaccinated people don’t need masks in schools. Will NC make it optional?
T. Keung Hui, The Charlotte Observer
New federal health guidance is putting pressure on North Carolina to ease its school face mask requirement before most students return for classes in August.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance on Friday saying fully vaccinated students and teachers don’t have to wear face masks in school. The CDC is only recommending continued masking of unvaccinated people in schools, which would include all students in elementary schools.
Prior CDC guidance called for “universal” mask use in schools. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper had cited that old guidance as a reason for continuing the face covering requirement even as he lifted the mandate in most other settings.