Los Angeles schools will stop requiring masks in an agreement with the teachers’ union.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the United States, will lift indoor mask requirements for students and staff next week in an agreement with its teachers union.

The new policy will take effect no later than Wednesday, and masking in classrooms will still be strongly recommended. Los Angeles Unified was one of the last holdouts after California dropped its school mask mandate. The teachers in the city insisted on higher vaccination rates for their students.

I support ending the indoor mask requirement and am committed to continuing to uphold our science-based approach to Covid-19 safety and protocols. Do what is best for you and your child.

California has seen its coronaviruses infections drop rapidly in recent weeks as the Omicron wave fades. The district will attempt to administer P.C.R. tests on all students and employees through the end of the school year.

A February poll found broad support in the state for continued coronaviruses measures in schools, including vaccine mandates and mask requirements. Four out of 10 parents don't think their children will be safe from the virus in school.

New York City's school district stopped requiring masks on March 7. According to Burbio, 92 percent of schools have dropped mask mandates.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics still recommend masking in schools.