CDC may ‘soon’ reduce school distancing guidelines to 3 feet

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may “soon” ease their coronavirus-related physical distance guidelines for in-person learning from six feet to three, researchers told Fox News.

A researcher among those who recently wrote an opinion piece claiming the CDC misinterpreted the results, including data on safe distance in the classroom, told Fox News an unidentified CDC employee expects a change in the agency’s guidance “soon”.

The unnamed CDC employee is involved in the response to the school’s reopening and is eager to see the CDC’s criteria change, according to Dr Monica Gandhi, professor of medicine and associate division head of the Division of HIV, of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine at the University of California. – San Francisco. Co-author Tracy Beth Hoeg, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and epidemiologist at the University of California-Davis and sports medicine at Northern California Orthopedic Associates, also confirmed the expected change in focus.

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Asked about a potential change in distancing guidelines, CDC spokesperson Jason McDonald said, “I have nothing at the moment.”

Researchers say there is enough scientific evidence to support the CDC relaxing its guidelines from six feet to three in schools. Gandhi specifically cited a new article published Wednesday in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, which found rates of similar coronavirus cases in school districts with a distance of three feet versus six feet, amid additional evidence that found minimal transmission of the virus. in schools despite a significant prevalence of the disease in the community, where students were seated within six feet of each other.

“I don’t know when the easing of the guidelines will take place, but I hope it will happen immediately,” Hoeg wrote.

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Some steps have already been taken at the state level to modify the guidelines. The Illinois Department of Public Health, for example, revised its definition of safe distancing on March 10, spokeswoman Melaney Arnold confirmed to Fox News.

“Social distancing for in-person learning is now defined as 3 to 6 feet for students and fully immunized staff,” reads the IDPH webpage. “Maintaining 6 feet is still the safest distance, but schools can operate at least 3 feet to provide in-person learning.”