CDC director speaks out on reopening schools

In this Jan. 27, 2021 image from video, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke during a White House briefing on the Biden administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington. (White House via AP)

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UPDATED 2:00 PM PT – Sunday, February 14, 2021

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Sunday that one of the main reasons schools may be unsafe to open yet is due to ventilations. She added it goes beyond coronavirus and children with asthma or other respiratory issues could be exposed to unsafe and unclean environments if schools are opened too soon.

Science shows us K-12 schools that have implemented strict #COVID19 mitigation strategies have been able to safely open for in-person instruction & remain open. Today, @CDCgov released a roadmap on how to do this safely: https://t.co/j7xzymsOfX

— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) February 12, 2021

However, reports have shown COVID-19 transmission is low in schools and Walensky acknowledged reopening is really “dependent on how much disease is in the community.”

“Our guidance has now been released,” Walensky stated. “It was released on Friday and it specifically articulates the five key mitigation strategies that we need to keep our schools open and other layered mitigation strategies, including teacher vaccination, that are nonessential to get our schools open, but we do recommend.”

Walensky also noted six feet of social distancing is relatively flexible if there’s a low amount of community spread.

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