The CDC will "probably" recommend children under age 12 who aren't yet eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine to wear masks in school this fall, President Joe Biden said during a July 21 CNN town hall.
President Biden said kids older than 12 who are fully vaccinated shouldn't have to wear masks, but said it could be challenging for some schools to determine who is and isn't vaccinated.
COVID-19 vaccines will probably earn full FDA approval in the fall, President Biden said.
During the town hall, President Biden also said he expected emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines to be used in children under age 12 "soon, I believe."
The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending universal masking for everyone older than age 2 this fall, according to updated guidance for the 2021-22 school year.
The AAP recommends all students and teachers wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. The AAP's mask recommendation differed from the CDC, which said July 9 that fully vaccinated individuals don't need to wear masks at schools. However, following AAP's update, the CDC said, "If your child is 2 years and older, make sure your child wears a mask in public settings."
For the week ending July 8, children accounted for nearly a quarter of all new reported COVID-19 cases, according to the AAP.