During the initial weeks of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, authorities and lawmakers found themselves faced with some difficult decisions. When the threat to domestic health and public safety became clear, so did the necessity of not just encouraging but enforcing social distancing rules.
As more school districts send their students home, it leaves parents wondering not only what to do with their children during the break but how the break will affect progress.
Information about COVID-19 continues to develop while state and local legislators do their best to follow CDC and federal recommendations. The health and safety of the American public always comes first, but recent events bring into question the long-term effects of the measures taken to ensure public safety. Read on to learn more about the impact of COVID-19 school closures now and into next year.
School Closures for COVID-19
As the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic became clear, local and national government officials began to question whether social distancing recommendations were enough. In the last week, school districts all over the nation have announced temporary closures. The United States isn’t alone in these actions. According to the (UNESCO), governments in 113 countries have closed educational institutions. Over 100 countries have implemented nationwide closures, impacting nearly an estimated 850 million children and youth.
How Will It Affect Testing and Progress?
Since the was implemented by the Bush administration