The CDC says that 3 feet in masked primary schools is okay

In a major overhaul of the policy aimed at encouraging more schools to welcome children back to face-to-face education, federal health officials relaxed on Friday the six-foot rule for elementary school students, saying they need to remain only a meter away in classrooms while everyone else is wearing a mask.

The three-foot rule now also applies to students in elementary and high schools, as long as transmission in the community is not high, officials said. When transmission is high, however, these students should be at least six feet apart, unless they are taught in cohorts or small groups that are kept separate from others.

The six-foot rule still applies in the wider community, the authorities stressed, and for teachers and other adults working in schools, who must keep that distance from other adults and students. Most schools are already functioning, at least partially, in person, and the evidence suggests that they do so with relative safety. Research shows that dissemination within the school can be mitigated with simple security measures, such as masking, distance, hand washing and open windows.

“The transmission dynamics are different in older students – that is, they are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and spread than younger children,” said the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in a statement.

Teachers’ unions across the country have vigorously defended the two-meter gap and have put pressure on the CDC and the Biden government to maintain the previous orientation.

On Friday, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second largest educators union, released a statement saying he would “reserve judgment” on the new detachment guidelines pending further analysis of research on how the virus behaves in school definitions. Becky Pringle, president of the largest teacher union, the National Education Association, raised similar concerns.

Still, the CDC’s statement lags behind some local health agencies across the country. Illinois and Massachusetts have already indicated that three feet apart may be appropriate in schools. County health officials also played an important role in guiding the decisions of school councils and superintendents, who were often overwhelmed by conflicting public health guidelines.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, explained that the agency is always updating its guidelines as new evidence becomes available. A recent study in Boston found no significant differences in the number of infections in school districts in Massachusetts that adopted a three-foot rule when compared to those that required six feet away. Additional CDC studies examining school safety were also released on Friday.

“The CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidelines as new evidence emerges,” said Dr. Walensky. “These updated recommendations provide an evidence-based roadmap to help schools reopen safely and remain open for face-to-face education.”

The new guidance emphasizes that good airflow and ventilation in school buildings is a critical component in maintaining a safe environment and continues to emphasize multiple layers of preventive behaviors, including universal masking, hand washing, building cleaning and contact tracking, combined with isolation and quarantine.

Adults in schools should continue to be two meters away from other adults and students, officials said. The six-foot rule still applies in common areas of schools, such as lobbies and auditoriums, whenever students are eating or drinking and cannot wear a mask, and during activities that involve more exhalation – such as singing, shouting, band practice , sports or any exercise, activities that “should be moved outdoors or to large, well-ventilated spaces whenever possible.”