We’ve heard the mental health struggles of parents, educators and after-school providers during the COVID-19 pandemic, but how are our children and teens doing? 

On August 26, Governor JB Pritzker announced a reinstated mask mandate for all Illinoisans aged two and over in public indoor settings, in addition to making Illinois the seventh state in the nation to require teachers get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Many have felt the need to grow or tackle passion projects during the pandemic and are now pushing back against this notion. To discuss the ways the pandemic has affected our perception of productivity, The 21st was joined by two journalists and a psychology professor. 

The 21st spoke with Illinois Director of Public Health Ngozi Ezike about the new masking guidelines, vaccination rates and the state’s path to reopening. 

In 2020, proms were cancelled across the country because of the pandemic. In 2021, proms are back but with masks and social distancing rules. The 21st spoke to three high school students from Illinois about their proms.