Headline RoundupMarch 19th, 2021

CDC Shortens School Distancing Guidelines to 3 Feet with Masks

Summary from the AllSides News Team

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed its school social distancing guidelines on Friday from 6 feet to 3 feet in classrooms, as long as masks are worn. A distance of 6 feet is still recommended for adult staff and teachers, as well as in common areas, “activities when increased exhalation occurs,” and “areas of high community transmission” generally. The CDC’s decision was influenced by studies in Massachusetts and other states, where some schools shifted to 3 feet without significantly increasing infection rates. Coverage in some right-rated outlets framed the previous 6-foot guideline as questionable, in one case citing an expert who said it “was pulled out of thin air.” Left- and center-rated outlets tended to feature the story more prominently on homepages.

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