STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. When schools across the United States shut down during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, guidance was made to ensure students would be able to return to their classrooms once again in the fall through a multitude of safety measures. This year, those recommendations could look different and less stringent, according to media reports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to update its guidance for coronavirus control in the community, including in schools, in the coming days, sources told CNN.

Additionally, education news site Chalkbeat reported that New York City plans to do away with its weekly school-based coronavirus PCR testing, though a City Hall spokesperson said plans for the fall havent been finalized.

CDC GUIDANCE

CNN obtained a preview of the plans that showed the updated recommendations by the CDC are expected to ease quarantine recommendations for people exposed to the virus and de-emphasize six feet for social distancing. Regular screening testing for COVID-19 in schools will also be de-emphasized. Instead, the agency said it may be more useful to base testing on coronavirus community levels.

The CDC may also remove a recommendation that students exposed to COVID-19 take regular tests to stay in the classroom called test to stay. According to CNN, this was a way to keep unvaccinated students exposed to the coronavirus, but without symptoms, in the classroom instead of quarantining at home.

This was a program implemented in New York City public schools in December 2021. Whenever there was a positive case in a classroom, each child would take home two at-home test kits over the course of seven days. Those who tested negative and were asymptomatic were able to go back to school, causing less disruption to their education.

The changes could be publicly released as early as next week. However, they are still under deliberation and arent finalized, according to CNN.

The CDC told the media outlet in a statement that it is always evaluating its guidance as science changes, adding it will update the public as changes occur.

In schools and other locations, the agency wont recommend six feet of social distancing instead emphasizing which kinds of settings are riskier, like poorly ventilated areas and crowds.

Quarantine requirements are likely to be eased for unvaccinated people, or those not up to date on coronavirus vaccines. Currently, people not up to date on the vaccine stay home for at least five days after close contact with a positive person. Going forward, CNN reported they wont have to stay home, but should wear a face mask and test at least five days after exposure.

NO MORE TESTING IN NYC SCHOOLS?

Chalkbeat reported that New York City is planning to end its in-school weekly coronavirus testing.

In February, the city updated its testing policy that required schools to test the larger of either 10% of the schools student enrollment in grades 1-12, up to a cap of 250 students; or 20% of the schools unvaccinated student population. The change, the DOE said at the time, allowed schools with a high number of vaccinated students to test a larger group every week.

However, a source with knowledge of the program told Chalkbeat that the city plans to discontinue on-site PCR testing.

A City Hall spokesperson said the citys plans for the fall havent been finalized, but didnt dispute that the city is moving away from in-school PCR testing, Chalkbeat reported. The spokesperson told the media outlet that the city will communicate its plan with families when there is an actual decision.

The city hasnt yet shared what coronavirus safety measures will be in place when school starts next month, or what the testing strategies will look like.

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