CDC Issues New Coronavirus Guidelines for Schools and Camps

The Centers for Disease Control have issued updated guidance for schools, early childhood education, and residential camps. The guidance is still cautious, and in many states it won’t apply because of less restrictive state or local laws.  Where the guidance does apply, however, youth organizations will need to update their policies.

The CDC still recommends masks for children, especially in communities with high transmission rates. The guidelines now recommend only 3 feet of social distancing, except in high transmission areas, where the CDC still recommends 6 feet. The website includes guidance specifically for overnight camps and FAQs for schools and childcare centers, but it does not address sports or other situations where close contacts in inevitable. For those situations, the guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics seems to be the most comprehensive advice.