Philadelphia Mandates Masks for Students and Staff for First 10 Days of Class

A student speaks during a Pennsbury School Board meeting in Levittown, Pa., on Dec. 16, 2021. Kylie Cooper/AFP via Getty Images

The School District of Philadelphia is requiring all students and staff to wear masks for the first 10 days of the upcoming school year, officials announced on Friday.

After that, everyone is allowed to go mask-optional, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, unless the community transmission level is high.