PA’s prospects for full-capacity clash with CDC guidelines

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Haleigh Jawidzik, Staff

On Feb. 12, the Center of Disease Control (CDC) established new guidelines to protect students and staff against  the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC is pushing to re-open all schools nationwide with mandatory masks and the six feet social distancing rule. 

The guidelines offer detailed descriptions of precautions necessary for reopening schools. The general consensus led to some confusion on whether the federal government is emboldening schools to open or not.

“[PA] wouldn’t be operating under traditional norms and comfort,” said school counselor Ms. Landry. “It wouldn’t be all footloose and fancy free. It still includes masks, rules, and restrictions that would make it impossible to truly embrace and enjoy the building.” 

PA doesn’t have enough room to accommodate the social distancing guidelines, and this poses a greater higher risk in the  community and may result in a spike in transmission of the virus

Still, many students and staff are restless to return in full capacity.

“I’m ready to go back, but still skeptical on if things will go back to normal and school used to be,” said senior Astoria Campbell.

For now, however, the hybrid model is the best option for PA.

“A tiered approach makes more sense because we can continue reassess as we go along, “said headmaster Dr. Morris. “What the CDC guidelines were pretty clear on was that we have to have six-feet social distance, and we can’t maintain that if we go full in.”

Every school, depending on its size and capacity, is different, and at the moment, mostly schools K-8 in more rural areas are the only ones going back in a full-capacity.

The  administration said they are  utilizing their resources and enacting plans to further ensure the safety of the student body and staff.