Masks Off Monday: Where in Illinois will you still have to wear masks? Where can you go mask-free?

CHICAGO - Across Chicago and Illinois on Monday, we're all going to be seeing a lot of smiling faces for the first time in two years, as COVID-19 mask mandates end. 

Most places in Chicago, the suburbs and the state of Illinois that have required masks for the past months (or years) will stop requiring masks on Monday:

• Gov. JB Pritzker ends state of Illinois' mask mandate for schools on Monday, February 28
• Mask and proof of vaccine requirements end at Chicago businesses on Monday
• Broadway in Chicago theaters and other venues still requiring masks and proof of vaccination for audience members
• You still have to wear masks on public transportation and indoors in airports, train stations and bus stations
• Masks are no longer required in the DuPage County Courthouse
• Chicago Public Schools will still require masks, though CPS said that hopefully the requirement will go away before the end of the school year
• Some Evanston teachers still want masks in schools, but Evanston is going with a "we'll encourage mask wearing but not require it" approach
• Archdiocese of Chicago lifts mask mandates at Catholic schools
• Target stores end mask mandates for customers and employees
• Algonquin school district makes masks optional for staff and students

Some of the changes came after the CDC released new guidelines on Friday saying that most Americans live in places where healthy people, including students in schools, can safely take a break from wearing masks.

There is a big exception to this list: hospitals, long-term care facilities, jails and prisons, and clinics will continue to require masks.

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