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Wisconsin-based study links few COVID-19 cases to classroom
In a study published by the CDC, a pediatrician found that when there is near perfect mask-wearing and social distancing, the risk of COVID-19 spreading in Wood County schools was low.
MILWAUKEE - When will it be safe for kids to go back to school?
A new study in rural Wisconsin recently found few cases of COVID-19 were connected to kids in the classroom. That study was published by the CDC.
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) have been virtual since March 2020. Just this week, many parents at a school board meeting asked to return to in-person learning.
Dr. Amy Falk is a busy working mother of three. As a pediatrician, she wanted to know more about the impact of her first-grader going back to in-person learning.
Dr. Amy Falk
"That was part of the reason I got involved is because I had skin in the game, I had a kid walking through those doors," Falk said.
So, she started studying. What she found is when there is near perfect mask-wearing and social distancing, the risk of COVID-19 spreading in Wood County schools was low.
"I think it could be generalizable to some degree, but obviously every district is going to have to grapple with what this might look like in their school," said Falk.
The Racine Unified School District (RUSD) is one of the districts trapping with that issue. This week, the school board voted to go back to in-person learning on March 1. The teachers union president has concerns about the district's ability to socially distance.
"We have some really old buildings. We have some civil-war era buildings, and we do not have an adequate amount of space to account for six feet of social distancing," said Angelina Cruz, an RUSD teacher.
Many parents who spoke at the meeting were ecstatic to have kids head back to class. Some even talked about studies that say school is safe. However, Falk cautions parents from using her study to draw conclusions.
"We are not implying that everyone should just jump back in head first, obviously this takes a lot of logistics, a lot of expense that a lot of districts can’t incur, and obviously ours are stretched to the limit with that as well," Falk said.
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Multiple parents at the RUSD meeting said they have actually moved their kids to other schools because of all the negative impacts of virtual learning.
MPS is considering a phased-in approach to in-person learning which could start as early as April. The decision won't be made until March.
Masks, distancing still crucial as vaccines roll out, doctors say
Doctors warn, though, that just because someone gets their COVID-19 shots doesn't necessarily mean their risk of spreading the virus goes away.
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