The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines for the reopening of schools, reducing the amount of space required between desks, a move that could speed the return to classrooms for more students, the Associated Press reports.
The CDC said a three-foot distance between desks, along with other measure, would be sufficient to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This is a reduction from the six-foot spacing previously recommended.
Because children and teens are less likely to get severe cases of coronavirus, they can be placed closer to one another so long as the students wear masks. Adults, such as teachers, administrators and other school workers, should still stay six feet away from students.
Students should maintain a six foot distance in other settings, such as lunch rooms, or where there is a lot of talking, shouting or singing, like band/chorus classes, assemblies or sporting events.
The changes in CDC guidelines recognize the need for students to return to in-person learning environments while also putting safety procedures in place to protect more vulnerable adults in education settings.
“Safe in-person instruction gives our kids access to critical social and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the education they need to succeed,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.