Sangamon Sun

The CDC revised its school safety guidelines in March to say that students can safely sit 3 feet apart in classrooms as long as they wear masks.

This new guideline is down from the previous recommendation of 6 feet. It comes following a study done in St. Louis that found there was no significant difference in infection rates with the physical distancing of at least 3 feet with universal mask use and other mitigation measures in place. 

"Safe in-person instruction gives our kids access to critical social and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the education they need to succeed," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. "These updated recommendations provide the evidence-based roadmap to help schools reopen safely, and remain open, for in-person instruction."

The CDC's previous recommendation of 6 feet of separation impacted how many students school classrooms could accommodate. Some classes resort to teaching in spaces including gymnasiums and cafeterias. Some teachers' union members are worried that the order is more about lack of space than new science.

"Educators and school staff want to be back in school, and they know that in-person learning is what is best for their students," Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers president, said in a March 25 Twitter post. "That's why we need to get this right and are asking for more data and clear mitigation strategies."

This update could motivate closed schools to feel ready to reopen, especially those with limited classroom space or large class sizes.

"This is good news," U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) said in a March 19 Twitter post. "Full-time, in-person learning is critical to our children's education and mental health."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends that students keep the usual 6 feet of distance from each other in common areas outside of classrooms such as lunchrooms, auditoriums, sporting events and other activities.

A separate study conducted in Massachusetts schools and published in the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases found no significant difference in infection rates between 6 feet and 3 feet of separation when students and staff were masked.

The study concluded that lower physical distancing policies can be adopted in school settings with masking mandates without negatively impacting student or staff safety.