Governor JB Pritzker has relaxed some of the COVID safety rules imposed on schools during the pandemic, including an end to the requirement that unvaccinated teachers and staffers must be tested for COVID twice a week.
Pritzker says the decision was made in consultation with public health professionals, and is based on current case trends and easy availability of vaccinations and an updated booster, as well as effective therapeutics.
The Illinois Federation of Teachers applauded the move, saying the vaccine-or-test requirement was necessary when it was imposed last year, but says the overwhelming majority of school staffers are now vaccinated, making the mandate unnecessary.
