CDC removes guidelines to reopen schools amid COVID pandemic, saying ‘new scientific information has emerged’



[ad_1]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed guidelines that promoted face-to-face learning in schools from their website.

The documents, which were written by politicians outside the CDC, were removed from the website in late October without public announcement, Hill reported.

“Some of the previous content was out of date and as new scientific information emerged, the site has been updated to reflect current knowledge about COVID-19 and schools,” a spokesperson said at the Hill .

Instead, the website now states that “the growing evidence that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and contrary to early reports may play a role in the transmission.

It also lists in-person learning as high risk.

The Trump administration has been pushing for the reopening of schools and experts have criticized the CDC guidelines, saying they appear politically motivated and lighthearted, the outlet reported.

Gov. Charlie Baker also pushed for in-person learning, saying districts should prioritize in-person learning as long as there is no evidence of the school’s spread of COVID-19, even if a community is designated at “high risk” of spread. the virus.

Last week, he visited Carlisle Public School noting that the neighborhood was “using every square inch of space” to enable social distancing.

He highlighted the Archdiocese of Boston’s success with in-person learning during its press conferences as he continued to encourage in-person learning across the state.

The Archdiocese of Boston serves more than 30,000 students in nearly 100 schools. Beginning in August, the Archdiocese began to reopen its primary and secondary schools for in-person learning.

Last week, nearly three months since school began, 87 students and seven staff have tested positive since Boston schools reopened in August, said Thomas Carroll, director of Catholic schools for the archdiocese. from Boston.

“I would say that the structure, rules and advice that we developed with public health professionals and the pediatric community, and made available to our public schools in July, would allow children to go to school. Baker said in October.

He said it was “just as risky” to have students “at home socializing with their friends, not wearing masks, not taking social distance during off-peak hours.” Instead, they could be in school, “wearing a mask, and having the rhythm and structure that comes with spending six or seven hours a day in a formal setting where everyone covers their faces.”

Massachusetts public schools last week reported 191 students and 157 staff as having positive cases of COVID.

Some schools in the state are now choosing to revert to distance learning until the end of the year.

Related content:

[ad_2]

Source link