Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield said school “is one of the safest places” for children and data supports in-person learning.
Redfield stressed the importance of adhering to data during a White House press briefing Thursday. The CDC director also said “data-driven decisions” are what should lead discussions regarding “institutions or what we’re doing for commercial closures.”
“For example, as was mentioned last spring, the CDC did not recommend school closures … nor did we recommend closures today. I will say, back in the spring, there was limited data. Today there is extensive data that we have,” Redfield said.
“We’ve gathered over the last two to three months and confirm that K-12 schools can operate with face-to-face learning and they can do it safely and they can do it responsibly,” he continued.
Redfield said coronavirus infections originated from “the community and the household” and not in schools. Redfield referred to what Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said about “family gatherings” presenting a large possibility of spreading the coronavirus.
“The truth is, for kids, K-12 is one of the safest places they can be; from our perspective, [they should] remain in school,” Redfield said.
Redfield stressed using data and not basing decisions off of emotions.
“It’s really important that following the data, making sure we don’t make emotional decisions about what to close and what not to close,” Redfield said.
“Data strongly supports that K-12 schools, as well as institutes of higher learning, really are not where we’re having our challenges and it would be counterproductive from a public health point of view just in containing the epidemic if there was an emotional response to say, ‘Let’s close the schools,'” Redfield said.
The CDC director expressed his confidence they will end the coronavirus pandemic and referred to Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s message of hope that the pandemic is coming to a close.
Redfield also urged Americans to “embrace masks, social distancing, hand-washing,” be wary of crowds, and back the data that is connected to schools “and institutes of higher learning.”
The CDC didn’t immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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