Back to School New Report Says “full capacity, in-person learning can be safely achieved”

file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, a new report by the ABC Science Collaborative demonstrates that in-person schooling with proper masking protocols can safely be pursued at all educational levels in the US. The report analyzed 864,515 students and 160,549 staff members across 100 school districts and 14 charter schools in North Carolina. Under the state’s “Plan A” protocol, masks were required for all students and staff in all educational areas, including bus rides to and from school. Over the 4-month study period, 1 in 127 students and 1 in 138 staff were diagnosed with COVID-19, although researchers stated that around 95% of those infections occurred within the community and not in school. The report ultimately recommended that full capacity, in-person learning can be safely achieved at all grade levels with strong adherence to mask mandates. With adherence to masking protocols, students could be less physically distanced and even reach full capacity on school busses. The report provides strong data-driven evidence for in-person learning, as school district administrators nationwide create their plans for the upcoming school year. Still, vaccinations among eligible students and staff will be key to relaxing masking measures in the future.