Updated CDC School Guidelines Say Students Can Be Spaced 3 Feet Apart
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The CDC now says that students can be spaced 3 feet apart, rather than six, in classrooms where universal masking is observed.
The new guidelines show the CDC is turning away from the 6-foot distancing recommendation, which had forced schools to remove desks, stagger scheduling, and take other steps to keep kids apart.
According to its new guidelines, the CDC recommends all students keep a distance of at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal. But for middle and high school students in communities where COVID-19 transmission is high, the CDC recommends a distance of 6 feet apart if "cohorting" – where students are kept together with the same peers and staff throughout the school day – is not possible.
"This recommendation is because COVID-19 transmission dynamics are different in older students – that is, they are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and spread it than younger children," the CDC said.
California state guidelines currently say students should be spaced 4 feet apart, and it's not clear if the state will adhere with the CDC's new recommendation of 3 feet.