Illinois issues mask mandate, orders vaccines for schools

Illinois will require all eligible students and school employees to be vaccinated and re-instituted an indoor mask mandate under an order announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker on Thursday.

Pritzker, a Democrat, issued the new policy amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases spurred largely by the Delta variant of the virus and increasing reports of "breakthrough" cases in which people already vaccinated get infected. The statewide mask mandate applies to anyone at least two years old and will take effect on Monday.