LOS ANGELES — California schools reopened for the fall semester with loosened COVID-19 protocols and low student vaccination rates among younger children, presenting a new test for the trajectory of the pandemic as some experts expect another rise in cases when winter arrives.
The general move away from expansive masking and testing requirements reflects officials’ confidence in the other tools at schools’ disposal and comes as California is enjoying sustained drops in newly reported infections and coronavirus-positive hospitalizations.
But health experts are watching to see how schools do in the coming weeks, especially given how many youngsters remain unvaccinated.
