3/31/2021
Governor Wolf Updates Recommendations For K-12 Schools
Match CDC Guidance For Social Distancing
The Pennsylvania departments of Health (DOH) and Education (PDE) announced updated recommendations for K-12 schools on social distancing in classrooms and how to handle COVID-19 cases in school buildings. The recommendations and guidance take effect on April 5.
Updated Recommendations on Physical Distancing
In elementary school, students should be at least 3 feet apart.
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In middle and high schools, students should be at least 3 feet apart in counties with low and moderate community transmission. In substantial counties, middle and high school students should be 6 feet apart, if cohorting is not possible.
Maintain 6 feet of distance in the following settings:
- Between adults in the school building (teachers and staff), and between adults and students.
- When masks can’t be worn, such as when eating.
- During activities when increased exhalation occurs, such as singing, shouting, band, or sports and exercise. Move these activities outdoors or to large, well-ventilated spaces.
- In common areas such as school lobbies and auditoriums.
Updated Recommendations on Handling COVID-19 Cases in Schools
The departments also updated recommendations on how school entities should handle confirmed cases of COVID-19 in school buildings. The recommendations consider the level of community transmission in each county, the number of cases among students and staff in each school building during the past 14 days, and the size of the school building.
For example, the recommendation for closures to in-person learning in some instances is reduced to 1-2 days from 3-7 days and 5 days from 14 days. The closures allow for cleaning and for public health staff to direct close contacts to quarantine.
While many schools are open for in-person learning, vaccinations are an important part of the Wolf Administration’s effort to get more students and teachers back in classrooms. The administration is ahead of schedule and nearly finished with a special initiative to provide teachers and school staff with an opportunity to get the voluntary, single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The state partnered with 28 intermediate units to operate vaccine clinics, with the Pennsylvania National Guard and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare administering the vaccine.
Governor Wolf also announced yesterday that Pennsylvania is expected to receive nearly $5 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds to help K-12 schools return students to classroom learning and equitably expand opportunity for students who need it most.
