Despite a tradition started in 1861, Santa won’t be making his yearly trip to Macy’s New York City store this year due to the pandemic. Instead, his visit will be virtual.

From Nov. 27 to Dec. 24, families can take part in an “interactive, virtual experience” on the Macy’s website, Macy’s said in a statement Thursday.

"A special greeting from Santaland elves at the North Pole-bound train station kicks off the interaction," Macy’s said. "From there, the Elves will lead the way through Santa’s Village and Workshop, stopping to see the sights and play interactive games. At the finale of the journey, kids will meet Santa through a whimsical interactive video where they will be able to share their holiday wish list followed by snapping a selfie with Santa."

"Santa will also drop by @macys handles on a number of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to engage with fans in his uniquely whimsical way," Macy’s added.

The U.S. government is on track to distribute 125 million cloth masks to states and territories by the end of November to help reopen schools, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Friday.

The 125 million masks were split evenly among adult and youth sizes. The distribution of adult-sized masks is complete, while the child-sized masks are being distributed as soon as they are manufactured. State governments are expected to handle distribution of the masks to schools.

The initiative is a small step in what remains a heavy lift for most local areas -- devising metrics that decide when a school opens or closes, and figuring out how to keep the novel coronavirus away from teachers, bus drivers and parents who could spread it throughout the broader community.

There is still no coordinated effort by the federal government to track COVID-19 outbreaks at schools nor to examine how students are -- or aren't -- contributing to community transmission. Most studies are limited in scope, often relying on schools that are willing to self-report cases. The lack of a nationwide tracking effort has prompted widespread frustration and confusion among parents and teachers on what benchmarks should be used for schools.

In a call with reporters Friday, a senior official with the U.S. Department of Education confirmed there was no effort underway by the administration to conduct a nationwide examination of school outbreaks.

"We feel that that option is, of course, best left to local leaders, those decisions," said Aimee Viana, principal deputy assistant secretary for the office of elementary and secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education.

President Donald Trump falsely claimed at Thursday night’s debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden that "the transmittal rate to the teachers is very small."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the role children play in community transmission of COVID-19 isn’t fully understood, but its recently update guidance notes a "body of evidence is growing" that kids "might play a role in transmission."

The CDC and other health officials largely agree that if a community can get the virus under control, schools are safe to open.

Schools haven't been studied as closely because many remain closed and not every school is reporting outbreaks. One concern is that children might be transmitting the virus without exhibiting symptoms, and testing people without symptoms remains limited.

"That doesn’t mean that communities are on their own," Viana said. “The Trump administration will continue as we’ve done since the beginning of the outbreak to extend flexibilities and freedom to open safely and to ensure that that learning continues in each community."

ABC News' Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.

Poland confirmed 13,632 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the country's highest figure since the pandemic began.

An additional 153 deaths from COVID-19 were also registered nationwide, down from a peak of 168 a day earlier. The cumulative total now stands at 228,318 cases and 4,172 deaths, according to the Polish Ministry of Health.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that, starting Saturday, the entire nation of 38 million people will be placed in a "red zone" of strict measures aimed at curbing further spread of the novel coronavirus, just short of a lockdown. The measures include wearing masks at all times outdoors, switching all primary schools to remote learning and the closure of restaurants except for takeaway and delivery services.

"We absolutely must cut the means of transmission of infection," Morawiecki said.

The White House grounds will open to costumed trick-or-treaters on Sunday for the annual Halloween festivities, but with "extra precautions" in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from the first lady's office.

All guests are required to wear a face covering and practice social distancing during their visit. All personnel working the event must wear a face covering, while any staff passing out candy will be required to wear gloves. Guest capacity will be limited, with extended event hours.

Social distancing measures will be in place, and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the event route. Each department will utilize a "no-touch approach" when distributing product in their area.

The statement said President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will "greet" trick-or-treaters as they pass by the South Portico of the White House. In previous years, the couple have handed out candy themselves.