New CDC guidance for schools: 3 feet is safe distance with universal masking

The CDC updated its guidance and now recommends that students in K-12 public schools can maintain at least 3 feet of physical distancing with universal masking in the classroom setting, with some exceptions.

Previously, the agency recommended 6 feet of distancing, but it updated its guidance to reflect current data, which show there is not much difference in terms of spread when comparing 3 feet and 6 feet of physical distance.

However, if community transmission is high, the CDC still recommends 6 feet of distancing for middle and high school students if cohorting — or keeping the same groups of students and staff together to reduce the risk of spread throughout the school — is not an option.

Rochelle Walensky

“CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, said in a statement. “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. These updated recommendations provide the evidence-based roadmap to help schools reopen safely, and remain open, for in-person instruction.”

The CDC still recommends 6 feet of physical distance in the following scenarios:

• in community settings outside the classroom;
• between adults in the school building and between adults and students;
• in common areas, such as school lobbies and auditoriums;
• when masks cannot be worn, like when consuming food; and
• during activities with increased exhalation, such as singing, shouting, band practice, sports or exercise. These activities should be moved outdoors or to large, well-ventilated spaces, when possible.

The CDC noted that these recommendations are a part of its operational strategy to safely reopen K-12 public schools, which will continue to be updated based on new and evolving evidence surrounding SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools.

The updated CDC recommendation on physical distancing aligns with guidance from the AAP.

“As a nation, we should be prioritizing helping schools reopen safely so that children and adolescents can benefit from everything that schools provide,” AAP President Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP, said in a statement. “I hope this new, detailed guidance from the CDC helps more school districts adopt strategies that enable all students to safely return to in-person school as soon as possible.”