The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Friday the long-awaited guidance on safe reopening of schools, emphasizing the importance of having schools open, provided that proper coronavirus safety precautions are followed.
The guidance states that it is “essential that schools open with the greatest security and as quickly as possible”, given the benefits of face-to-face learning.
The main recommendations for doing this safely are the universal use of masks by students, staff and teachers, as well as the distance for people to stay 1.8 m away.
Vaccination of teachers’ COVID-19 should be prioritized, the agency said, but “should not be considered a condition” for schools to reopen.
The CDC says that schools can adjust whether they are fully face-to-face or hybrid learning, depending on the level of dissemination in the surrounding community and the mitigation measures in place.
Schools are encouraged to use “grouping” to separate students into smaller groups to help facilitate contract tracking.
The Biden government has faced strong scrutiny over its position on the reopening of schools in recent weeks, with Republicans accusing it of bowing to teachers ‘unions by not supporting statements by the CDC director about the schools’ ability to reopen.
Some teachers’ unions, for example, asked for vaccines before returning to classrooms, which the CDC says is not necessary.
CDC Director Rochelle WalenskyRochelle WalenskyOvernight Health Care: CDC study says double masking works | House Democrats propose multi-billion dollar aid package to COVID-19 | Industry groups support ObamaCare reforms proposed by Democrats Psaki defends White House’s definition of reopening schools amid criticism Double-mask work, says CDC study MORE said on Friday that there was no “political interference” in her agency’s recommendations, although she added that she shared some pieces with the White House to let them know what the CDC was planning.
“Science has shown that schools can reopen safely before all teachers are vaccinated,” said Walensky.
The President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, issued a largely positive statement in response to the guidance.
“Today, the CDC faced the fear of the pandemic with facts and evidence,” she said. “For the first time since the beginning of this pandemic, we have a rigorous, science-based roadmap that our members can use to fight for a safe reopening. “
Still, Weingarten also added that “securing funding to do this” is necessary to “make this guidance real” and called for approval of Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion aid package, which includes more money for schools.
The CDC divides the levels of transmission to communities surrounding the schools into four levels. With “low” and “moderate” transmission, all K-12 schools can open up to full education in person with distance “to the greatest extent possible”.
The much more common situation in the United States now, however, is “substantial” or “high” spread.
In “substantial”, schools must have hybrid instruction, says the CDC. In “high” propagation, primary and secondary schools should be in virtual schools only, unless “they can strictly implement all mitigation strategies” and have few cases.
Expanded screening, while not a requirement, can also help elementary and high schools to remain in hybrid learning, even with “high” transmission, said the CDC.
The “substantial” spread qualifies as 50-99 new cases per 100,000 people and “high” is 100 or more.
—Updated at 15:33