Jeevan Guha, 6, poses for a portrait near his homemade sign in San Francisco. His sign reads, “I miss my school.”
Yalonda M. James/Hearst Newspapers via Getty
Yalonda M. James/Hearst Newspapers via Getty
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance for schools. On Friday, the agency announced it “now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings.”
Previously the guidance stated, “Physical distancing (at least 6 feet) should be maximized to the greatest extent possible.” The new guidelines still call for 6 feet of distance between adults and students, as well as in common areas, such as auditoriums, and when masks are off, such as while eating. And the 6-foot distancing rule still applies for the general public in settings such as grocery stores.
The change is momentous because in many places around the country, the 6-foot guidance has been interpreted as requiring schools to operate on part-time or hybrid schedules in order to reduce class sizes. A 3-foot rule would allow many more schools to open in person, full time.
