The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its school curriculum on Friday. The update adds more details to inform administrators’ decisions about opening schools and reducing risk, according to CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield.
Redfield said the updated guidance comes from talks the CDC has had with districts on how they can best function during a pandemic.
The updated guidelines encourage schools to work closely with local and public health leaders when there is an infected person on campus. Instead of shutting everything down immediately for a long period of time, the guidelines said one option is an initial short-term suspension and cancellation of events and after school activities so that public health leaders can get the time they need to determine how widespread the infections are.
If schools use a pod system, and keep certain students together, administrators may only close certain parts of the building where an infected person may have been. If local health officials advise against closing the building, school leaders should clean that area thoroughly.
The decision to suspend school altogether should be made on a case-by-case basis with the most up-to-date information on the pandemic, according to the guidelines, taking into account local case counts and the extent of ongoing transmission in the community.
More details: Schools are encouraged to communicate “regularly” and “transparently” with staff, teachers, students and families, including about mental health services available at the school, the CDC said. Sharing facts will “stop the spread of misinformation and reduce fear,” the guidelines said.
Schools need to provide remote counseling and ensure the continuity of mental health services. Schools should also encourage students who feel overwhelmed and want to hurt themselves or others to call 911 as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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