NEA on updated CDC guidance

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday released updated school guidance for fall.

The following can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle:

"As the National Education Association has consistently said, there is no substitute for in-person learning, and we look forward to all students returning to school in the fall. The CDC’s latest guidance provides an important roadmap for reducing the risk of COVID-19 in schools. And it is up to all of us in communities across the country to make it possible for all school buildings to be fully open, to stay open, and for all students, staff, and families to remain healthy.  

"As the delta variant spreads in many parts of the country and infections are increasing in younger people, it is particularly important that politicians, community leaders, parents, and educators work together to ensure that we all do our part. Everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated should get their COVID-19 vaccination. This is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and each other, and especially to protect those who cannot yet be vaccinated, including children under 12. Schools should be consistently and rigorously employing all the recommended mitigation strategies, including requiring masks in all settings where there are unvaccinated individuals present, and ensuring adequate ventilation, handwashing, and cleaning. And schools need to use proven COVID-19 screening testing to isolate cases rapidly and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools.  

It is important that we pay attention to the unique needs of all our schools and the communities they serve. We have a responsibility as a country to address the disproportionate burden suffered throughout this pandemic by communities of color, which has contributed to families being unable or reticent to have their children return to in-person instruction.  So that our schools buildings can fully open, and remain safely open, every one of us has a critical role to play."