Schools Can Now Space Students 3 Feet Apart Instead of 6 Feet, CDC Says.<br />On March 19, the agency updated its school guidance to say that it "now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings.".<br />However, the 6-foot rule still applies in common areas, when masks are off while eating, between adults and students and in public settings.<br />The guidance revision would give more schools the ability to open in person.<br />New research, including a study <br />published in 'Clinical Infectious Diseases,' <br />was examined to justify the change.<br />We didn't see any substantial difference in cases among students or staff in districts with 3 feet versus 6 feet, suggesting that we can open the schools safely at 3 feet, ... , Westyn Branch-Elliman, a co-author of the study and an infectious diseases specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, via NPR.<br />... provided that some of the mitigation measures that were present here in Massachusetts are in place, Westyn Branch-Elliman, a co-author of the study and an infectious diseases specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, via NPR.<br />Some schools have already implemented distancing precautions of 3 feet.<br />There was not a notable increase after the move to three-feet separation...other than the two weeks following [Thanksgiving], our numbers have been consistently low, Ashton Brellenthin, communications coordinator for the Danville, IN, Community School Corporation, to NPR
