Would "Social Distancing" Help In Schools? The Students Are Already In The Classrooms Together Sharing Space.

September 1, 2009 -- Question: Would "social distancing" (the process of spreading student desks farther apart and canceling school assemblies) help? The students are already in the classrooms together sharing space.

Answer: Social distancing is one of the ways that the CDC is considering controlling the spread of influenza while we wait for the vaccine to become available and to be given to many people. It's very important that both teachers and parents emphasize good hygiene techniques for children: covering coughs, covering sneezes for example and it is certainly possible that in some situations where there is a school wide outbreak that spreading the desks apart a little bit more or canceling activities in the school might be considered. That view is changing however over time as we've learned some of the lessons from the spring outbreaks before we let out for summer vacation.