The Office of Head Start (OHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) removed the requirement for universal masking for all individuals ages 2 and older in response to the 1700 public comments received during the Interim Final Rule Comment Period (IFC) issued on 11/30/2021 with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

They are now requiring all Head Start programs to have an evidence-based COVID-19 mitigation policy developed in consultation with their Health Services Advisory Committee. 

They are still reviewing the vaccination and testing requirements.  The vaccine requirement remains in effect.

Click here to read more about Mitigating the Spread of COVID-19 in Head Start Programs.

The office of Head Start has released a Program Instruction ACF-PI-HS-23-01 Supplementary Information on Establishing an Evidence-based COVID-19 Mitigation Policy to support grant recipients.  Read it here.

The Office of Head Start has released a video about Pediatric Vaccines and Other COVID-19 Consideration for Program Year 2022-2023, discussing the key COVID19 considerations as the programs start the new year.

The Administration for Children and Families intends to publish a final rule to remove the requirement for masking in Head Start programs.