Director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Rochelle Walensky anticipates that the U.S. will soon bid farewell to remote learning. All schools will conduct in-person classes from September 2021.
“We should anticipate, come September 2021, that schools should be full-fledged in person and all of our children back in the classroom,” said the CDC Director during an Instagram Live conversation with Dr. Jennifer Ashton on ABC News.
According to the CDC Director, now is the time for parents and children to start preparing for this day, as it will mark a crucial return to school after a long hiatus. Even if children are not vaccinated by then, schools would still open as decided. Walensky pointed out that multiple options are available to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
Moreover, if all goes well, even children would be eligible for vaccination by mid-May. She was optimistic about the revival of school activities, in light of the recent data provided by Pfizer, which states that the vaccine is safe and useful for 12-15-year-old children. Walensky is optimistic that Moderna follows suit, and thus, there will be two different vaccines available for children above the age of 12. However, the only downside is that children below the age of 12 will probably be unable to get a vaccine shot until the end of the year.
Walensky’s comments emerged soon after she declared that the dangerous U.K variant has become prevalent in the U.S. She also added that the spread of these variants should compel people to get themselves vaccinated. During a meeting at the White House last week, Walensky informed the public about the incessant fears of embracing the fourth wave of the coronavirus.
Just a few days ago, CDC revised its travel policy for people who are fully vaccinated, allowing them to travel domestically without having to go through a formal COVID-19 test. All they need to do is adhere to the basic travel requirements like wearing masks, using hand sanitizers, and observe social distancing.