Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC Mayor Hesitates On In-Person Learning Despite New CDC Guidance On 3-Feet Distancing In Schools
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Mar 19, 2021
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Mark Lennihan/AP/Shutterstock
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Mar 19, 2021
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance on Friday about COVID-19 safety in schools that could open up in-person learning to more New York City students.
The new guidelines indicate that, in most cases, it’s OK for kids to stay three feet apart instead of six, as long as everyone is wearing a mask. The CDC suggests that only middle and high school students remain six feet apart in higher-risk circumstances—specifically, in communities where COVID-19 transmission is abundant, and classmates cannot stay in bubbles where they only see the same peers and staff throughout the day.
At his daily press conference yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the city would open up a new window for families to opt into in-person learning during the current school year if the CDC updated its distancing guidelines. The mayor has not yet announced a new opt-in window. Gothamist/WNYC has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.
“We’re starting planning now to be ready for the possibility that the CDC will change the standard,” de Blasio said Thursday. “If there is a change from six feet to three feet, that will absolutely be the reason for an opt-in because we would want to give more kids the chance to get back to school quickly.”
Asked about the new CDC guidance on the Brian Lehrer Show Friday, the mayor said it was good news, but he wasn’t ready to incorporate a new opt-in window just yet. He said that there were staffing and other logistical issues to figure out.
“I’m very happy to hear this news. We’re evaluating it right now...and we need to see the actual documents, the actual standards,” de Blasio said. “We are preparing for the possibility—but we’re not there yet—for the possibility of an opt-in.”
Since the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the CDC has been adjusting its guidance on COVID-19 safety in schools to reflect emerging evidence from around the world. This research shows that schools have not significantly contributed to the spread of COVID-19 and that closing them, more often than not, may not be worth the knock-on harms such as domestic abuse and the erosion of family mental health.
Read More: NYC Public Schools With The Worst Attendance Are In Areas With Higher COVID Rates
The CDC says that schools should focus on public health measures such as testing, contact-tracing, proper ventilation, mask-wearing, and vaccinating teachers. Meanwhile, the city has already announced the return of sports in public schools this spring, despite the CDC’s evidence indicating that it may be one of the higher-risk activities.
The mayor said Monday that he’s reevaluating the 2-case rule—the city’s current policy of closing down any school building where two or more people have tested positive for COVID-19 when the cases are not contained within a single classroom. The restriction has resulted in frequent closures, frustrating many parents.
Read More: Why NYC School Closures Might No Longer Be Needed
“My kids, like most kindergarteners, don’t sit well in front of a screen,” said Sarah Whitlock, who has twins at P.S. 139 in Brooklyn. She says the two-case rule results in closures every week or two, and the longest they’ve been able to go to school consecutively is two weeks in a row. “They have grown so used to being disappointed.”
United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew continues to stand by the two-case rule, saying it has worked so far.
“The rules we have in place have kept students and educators safe,” Mulgrew said in a statement to WNYC/Gothamist. “Any changes in the two-case rule or social distancing guidelines, whether now or for September, need to be based on what medical experts recommend.”
The CDC’s latest guidance says a school may need to be temporarily closed if it’s “experiencing an active outbreak” or located in an area where there’s been a rapid rise in cases or a high burden on the health care system.
“These decisions should be made based on careful considerations of a variety of factors and with the emphasis on ensuring the health and wellness of students, their families, and teachers and staff,” the federal health agency states.
Tagged
social distancing
COVID-19
coronavirus
school
public schools
new york city schools
bill de blasio
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani names re-entry specialist as chair of Rikers oversight board
Christopher Watler will help the department that a federal monitor says remains in crisis.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 3:52 p.m. ET
NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought
The Delaware River Basin Commission is evaluating options to increase water storage, including expanding a reservoir in New York City.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought
The Delaware River Basin Commission is evaluating options to increase water storage, including expanding a reservoir in New York City.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Legionella found in Staten Island building's water system after 2 positive cases
By
Catalina Gonella
Legal 'loophole' helps NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bruce Blakeman raise millions
By
Jon Campbell
Police identify 2 men wanted for stabbing an off-duty NYPD officer
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .