CDC issues guidance for 2021-22 school year

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its updated Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in Kindergarten (K)-12 Schools. This updated guidance for school administrators outlines strategies for K-12 schools to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and maintain safe operations. It emphasizes that students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in the fall 2021 is a priority. Click here to read PSBA’s full report on the new CDC guidance. Among the key takeaways in the new guidance:
  • Promoting vaccination can help schools safely return to in-person learning as well as extracurricular activities and sports.
  • Masks should be worn indoors by all individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

CDC recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking. Because many schools serve children under the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccination at this time, the guidance emphasizes implementing layered prevention strategies. This CDC guidance is meant to supplement, not replace, any federal, state or local health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which schools must comply.

Posted on in PSBA News

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