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CHICAGO - Chicago Public Schools said classes will be in-person after the holiday break — despite surging COVID-19 cases.
Schools will reopen as planned on Jan. 3.
CPS passed out 150,000 COVID testing kits among 300 schools.
The district is encouraging parents to return their at-home COVID tests by Thursday evening.
FedEx boxes on the southwest side were seen overflowing as parents continued to drop off test kits.
City health officials say they expect to see more COVID cases among children because they've been home and in the community for two weeks.
In Chicago, there has been an increase in children being hospitalized with COVID-19.
Only 34 percent of children ages five to 11 have gotten their first dose of the vaccine.
The Chicago Teacher's Union wants every student who is returning to school to have a negative test by Monday.
If that does not happen, they are asking to go remote for the first two weeks back from break.