The 6-Foot Covid Rule Is Keeping Kids Out of Class

One year into the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that “It is critical for schools to open as safely and as soon as possible, and remain open.” That’s a recognition that remote learning is doing incalculable harm to America’s children. Unfortunately, the CDC’s own social-distancing guidelines have made the task of reopening schools even harder.

The CDC recommends that physical distancing of “at least 6 feet” between students “should be maximized to the greatest extent possible.” This is based largely on research on how pathogens spread through coughing and sneezing. Many businesses and indoor public facilities follow the guidance — but strict adherence to it has cut classroom capacity in many public schools, especially those in high-population-density districts, by 50% or more. As schools reopen, the 6-foot rule will require educators to maintain “hybrid” schedules that limit the number of students receiving in-person instruction at any one time.