The CDC said Friday that in-person schooling can resume safely with masks, social distancing and other strategies, and that vaccination of teachers is important but not a prerequisite for reopening.
The agency released its road map for getting students back to classrooms amid a pandemic that has killed nearly 480,000 Americans. Officials said there's strong evidence now that schools can reopen, especially at lower grade levels. But its guidance is just that: It can't force schools to reopen. CDC officials were careful to say they're not calling for mandatory school reopenings.