CNN —Â
Students are heading to another school year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but this time, there seem to be fewer discussions and fretting about masks and other mitigation measures – despite a rise of infections sweeping the country.
Most of the largest public school districts in the United States are not requiring masks for the new school year, making masking “optional” as students return to classes and the highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant spreads.
Millions of US children remain unvaccinated as BA.5 spreads and new school year looms
Across the country, “schools have become more relaxed in their mask policies,” said Gladys Cruz, president-elect of the School Superintendents Association and district superintendent for Questar III in New York