CDC Essential Elements for Safe K-12 Schools Reopening

Mitigation strategies to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools

 

Regardless of the level of community transmission, all schools should use and layer mitigation strategies which are essential elements for schools reopening. Five key mitigation strategies are essential to safely delivery in-person instruction and help to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in schools:

1. Universal and correct use of masks
2. Physical distancing
3. Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
4. Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities
5. Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with the health department

 

Schools providing in-person instruction should prioritize two mitigation strategies:

 

1. Universal and correct use of masks should be required, at all levels of community transmission. Require consistent and correct use of face masks, by all students, teachers, and staff to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission through respiratory droplets.
2. Physical distancing (at least 6 feet) should be maximized to the greatest extent possible. To ensure physical distancing, schools should establish policies and implement structural interventions to promote physical distance of at least 6 feet between people. Cohorting or podding is recommended to minimize exposure across the school environment.

 

All mitigation strategies provide some level of protection, and layered strategies implemented concurrently provide the greatest level of protection. CDC’s K-12 Schools COVID-19 Mitigation Toolkit includes resources, tools, and checklists to help school administrators and school officials prepare schools for in-person instruction. These tools and resources include aspects for addressing health equity. Considerations such as class sizes, internet connectivity, access to public transportation, and other topics are included.

 

Indicators of community transmission

 

School administrators, working with local public health officials, should assess the level of risk in the community. Since the risk of introduction of a case in the school setting is dependent on the level of community transmission. This is a key factor of essential elements for schools reopening. CDC recommends the use of two measures of community burden to determine the level of risk of transmission: total number of new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days; and percentage of nucleic acid amplification test (NAATs) results that are positive during the last 7 days. The two measures of community burden should be used to assess the incidence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the surrounding community (e.g., county). The transmission level for any given location will change over time. This should be reassessed weekly for situational awareness and to continuously inform planning.

 

While risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in a school may be lower when indicators of community spread are lower. This risk is also dependent upon the implementation of school and community mitigation strategies. If community transmission is low but school and community mitigation strategies are not implemented or inconsistently implemented. The risk of exposure and subsequent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a school will increase. Alternately, if community transmission is high, but school and community mitigation strategies are implemented and strictly followed as recommended. The risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a school will decrease.

 

Phased mitigation, essential elements for schools reopening, learning modes, and testing

 

All schools have options to provide in-person instruction (either full or hybrid), through strict adherence to mitigation strategies. Recommended learning modes vary to minimize risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in school by emphasizing layered mitigation, including school policies requiring universal and correct mask use also part of essential elements for schools reopening. The recommended learning modes (in-person, hybrid, virtual) depend on the level of community transmission and strict adherence to mitigation.

 

Items below present an operational plan for schools that emphasizes mitigation at all levels of community transmission.

1. K–12 schools should be the last settings to close after all other mitigation measures in the community have been employed, and the first to reopen when they can do so safely. Schools should be prioritized for reopening and remaining open for in-person instruction over nonessential businesses and activities.
2. In-person instruction should be prioritized over extracurricular activities. This includes sports and school events, to minimize risk of transmission in schools and protect in-person learning.
3. Lower incidence of COVID-19 among younger children compared to teenagers suggests that younger students (for example, elementary school students) are likely to have less risk of in-school transmission due to in-person learning than older students (middle school and high school).
4. Families of students who are at increased risk of severe illness (including those with special healthcare needs) or who live with people at increased risk should be given the option of virtual instruction regardless of the mode of learning offered.
5. Schools are encouraged to use cohorting or podding of students. Especially in moderate (yellow), substantial (orange), and high (red) levels, to facilitate testing and contact tracing, and to minimize transmission across pods.
6. Schools that serve populations at risk for learning loss during virtual instruction should be prioritized for reopening. They should be provided the needed resources to implement mitigation.
7. When implementing phased mitigation in hybrid learning modes. Schools should consider prioritizing in-person instruction for students with disabilities who may require special education and related services directly provided in school environments, as well as other students who may benefit from receiving essential instruction in a school setting.

 

Decisions should be guided by information on school-specific factors. This includes mitigation strategies implemented, local needs, stakeholder input, the number of cases among students, teachers, and staff, and school experience with safely reopening. A decision to remain open should involve considerations. Further strengthening mitigation strategies and continuing to monitor case incidence and test positivity to reassess decisions.

 

Despite careful planning and consistent implementation of mitigation. Some situations may occur that lead school officials to consider temporarily closing schools or parts of a school (such as a class or grade level) to in-person instruction. These decisions should be made based on careful considerations of a variety of factors. With the emphasis on ensuring the health and wellness of students, their families, and teachers and staff. Such situations may include classrooms or schools experiencing an active outbreak. Also schools in areas experiencing rapid or persistent rises in case incidence or severe burden on health care capacity.

 

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants are circulating globally. Some variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. Rigorous implementation of and adherence to mitigation strategies is essential to control the spread of variants of SARS-CoV-2. As more information becomes available, it is possible that due to increased levels of community transmission resulting from a variant of SARS-CoV-2, mitigation strategies and school guidance may need to be updated to account for new evidence on risk of transmission and effectiveness of mitigation.

 

 

Source: CDC