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Is 3 feet safe?

Efficacy of 3 vs. 6 Feet of Social Distancing
    Mask up. Stay 6 feet apart. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these measures must be followed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. However on March 19, 2021, after nearly a year of social distancing, the CDC updated their guidelines: "with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings." In other words, the minimum social distancing requirement in schools has been reduced to 3 feet with a masking mandate. Some people are skeptical of this updated guideline; is 3 feet really a safe distance? A study published on March 10, 2021 in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal by Oxford University Press investigates the effectiveness of 3 feet versus 6 feet of social distancing in public schools.

About the Study

    Data for the study was obtained from September 24, 2020 through January 27, 2021. A total of 251 K-12 school districts in Massachusetts were included that practiced in-person learning with either 3 or 6 feet of social distancing. The study ultimately used COVID-19 data from 537,336 students and 99,390 staff members attending these school districts. Out of the 251 school districts, 194 districts required  >6 feet of social distancing and 57 districts required >3 feet of social distancing. Community incidence rates of COVID-19 cases and district infection control plans were linked.

Study Results

   Overall, with universal mask wearing, student and staff case rates were similar in districts with 3 feet of social distancing and 6 feet of social distancing. The results also proved to be similar after adjusting for community incidence rates.

    COVID-19 case rates in students and staff were lower than the COVID-19 rate of the surrounding community. A strong correlation was observed between community rates and COVID-19 cases in schools; this correlation was especially high among staff.  



Implications

   The study findings are simple and straightforward: there was no significant difference of COVID-19 rates in schools that practiced 3 feet versus 6 feet of social distancing. According to the authors of the paper, the findings suggest "that the lower physical distancing recommendation can be adopted in school settings without negatively impacting safety." Schools that were previously unable to open for in-person learning because of lack of space may now be able to reopen with the new social distancing measures. However, it's important to keep in mind that 3 feet of social distancing is considered safe only when masks are being worn.

Sources

1. Polly van den Berg, MD, et al. "Effectiveness of three versus six feet of physical distancing for controlling spread of COVID-19 among primary and secondary students and staff: A retrospective, state-wide cohort study" Clinical Infectious Diseases, 10 Mar. 2021, doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab230

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