Connecticut school officials are reviewing a new federal guideline that says students can sit as close as three feet apart in class, a relaxing of the six-feet social distance advisory by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A Connecticut Department of Education spokesman said they are working with their partners in the state Department of Public Health on the review of the CDC recommendation. In the meantime, the state’s standard will remain universal mask wearing for all students and staff, and to maximize physical distance between student workstations to achieve a six-foot distance when feasible.
A recent study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found there was no difference in COVID-19 rates between Massachusetts schools that mandated three feet of physical distance compared to six feet, as long as everyone wore masks.
