Recent analysis by The New York Times reveals that a mere 4% of children in the United States live in counties that meet the CDC’s criteria for fully reopening schools. As the CDC and several states push to return students to in-person learning, the reality is that most counties do not satisfy the necessary COVID-19 metrics.
Despite President Biden’s advocacy for school reopenings and the CDC’s seemingly supportive recommendations, the guidelines indicate that only a small fraction of schoolchildren are in areas where the virus transmission rates are low enough for safe, full-time, in-person learning. Essentially, the CDC’s message is clear: very few regions in the U.S. align with the requirements for reopening, yet here are the guidelines anyway.
CDC Guidelines for School Reopening
The CDC recommends full-time in-person learning only in regions reporting fewer than 50 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 individuals weekly and a positivity rate below 8%. According to the analysis, only about one-sixth of American counties qualify as of late last week, primarily in less densely populated areas. This guidance applies specifically to elementary schools, and many middle and high schools across the nation currently only meet the criteria for remote learning.
While some states, like Florida, have largely disregarded these guidelines, claiming to have kept schools operational throughout the pandemic, the CDC’s criteria would suggest that only three counties in Florida meet the requirements for 100% in-person learning. Strangely, a CDC spokesperson mentioned that these are merely “recommendations” and that strict adherence shouldn’t hinder states from reopening schools. This raises the question: what purpose do these guidelines serve?
Given the American public’s general resistance to government directives, it’s not surprising that the CDC issues science-based recommendations while also implying that states should feel free to make their own choices.
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Summary: A New York Times analysis shows that only 4% of U.S. children live in counties where schools can safely reopen for full in-person learning according to CDC guidelines. Most counties fail to meet the necessary COVID-19 metrics, leading to questions about the purpose of these guidelines. Despite ongoing pushes for school reopenings, the reality remains that a significant majority of children are still in areas where in-person learning is not advised.
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