Over the past few months, there have been debates about whether it is safe to reopen schools this fall or not. But just recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a broadsheet entitled "The Importance of Reopening America's Schools this Fall."
The nation's top health agency has released its guidelines for school reopening but argued that it would not tailor its guidelines to President Trump's recommendation.
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COVID-19 and School Reopening
In an earlier study by Australian researchers, they said that coronavirus does not spread widely in schools. Their study looked at 18 infected students in 15 different schools in Australia and discovered that there is only a "limited possibility" that other students will get infected.
They made this conclusion after these 18 infected students got into close contact with 863 people, and only 2 of them got infected. The U.K. government scientific advisors have looked into this study, and it plans to cite this study should they reopen schools.
In a previous report by Science Times, CDC Director Robert Redfield emphasized the importance of school reopening during this time. He said that it is better to open schools than to keep them closed for the children.
He said that he is confident that schools can open safely and that it will release some guidelines for schools to provide clarity. The guidelines will include the roles of the parents when the schools finally open and putting on face coverings.
But it was not only the CDC who wanted schools to reopen. The American Academy of Pediatrics also calls for the opening of schools because they fear that educational and social losses from prolonged absence in schools will endanger the health and overall well-being of children.
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CDC Recommendation
The CDC recently released a broadsheet entitled "The Importance of Reopening America's Schools this Fall", which contains their guidelines for school reopening.
The announcement has received backlash from different groups. Although CDC has assured people that children are far less likely to suffer severe symptoms, others argue that school reopening disregards the whole point of putting the population in quarantine.
Unlike children, many adults are high-risk for getting the infection. These people are not mentioned in the CDC's recent guidelines. More so, the teachers of these students, as well as the cafeteria workers, and staff may be at risk, not to mention children going home to their parents.
However, the CDC argues that its guidelines emphasized the effects of learning loss and the children's well-being. Additionally, they also mentioned that many children coming from low-income families and children with disabilities would have access to private education and care.
These students are the ones who most likely rely on school meals and special education programs. Some children are even more vulnerable at home to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
Furthermore, the CDC admits that remote learning does not work because kids need to have social interaction with other kids. The health agency also cited a study wherein children in quarantine are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress.
Their guidelines offer general disinfectant, and still promotes social distancing, frequent hand washing, and they said that sick children must stay home.
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