Maintaining Healthy Environments > Physical Distancing
Physical distancing, also called “social distancing,” means keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household. To practice physical distancing e in the school setting, students and staff are to stay at least 3 to 6 feet (about 1- 2 arm lengths) from other individuals who are not from their household in both indoor and outdoor spaces depending on the activities and individuals they are currently engaging.
School nurses play an important role in safely keeping schools open. The school nurse’s role includes assisting school administrators and staff with understanding the importance of following all mitigation strategies, including physical distancing, to help mitigate the spread of infection and the impact on the school community. There are four additional mitigation strategies that should also be followed in schools which includes 1) universal and correct use of masks, 2) handwashing and respiratory etiquette, 3) cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, and 4) contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine.
Key Considerations:
- Establishing school policies and interventions to promote the appropriate physical distance between individuals in the school setting considering the following:
- School grade level (e.g. elementary, middle, high school).
- Community transmission rate (e.g. low, moderate, substantial, or high).
- School setting and activity (e.g. classroom, common areas, adult-student interactions, adult-adult interactions, student-student interactions, when eating, activities with increased exhalation (e.g. singing, theater, band, sports, exercise,))
- Creating scheduling to address staggered arrival and dismissal and class schedules for cohorts and staff to address size and physical distancing requirements.
- Moving activities that require increase exhalation outdoors or to large, well-ventilated space, when possible (e.g. singing, shouting (i.e. theater), band, sports and exercise)
- Using cohorting and physical distancing and limiting contact between cohorts where possible.
- When levels of community transmission are substantial or high and when schools use less than 6 feet between students in classrooms, cohorting is recommended. Under these circumstances, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between cohorts is also recommended.
- Removing nonessential furniture and making other changes to classroom layouts to maximize distance between students.
- Facing desks in the same direction, where possible.
- Eliminating or decreasing nonessential in-person interactions among teachers and staff during meetings, lunches, and other situations that could lead to adult-to-adult transmission.
- Developing policies and procedures to address limiting nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities. Require all visitors to wear masks and physically distance from others.
- Developing policies and procedures to address transporting children on school buses to address physical distancing, wearing masks, and ventilation (e.g. opening windows).
CDC Resources
Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention
Other Resources
Considerations for Classroom Physical Activity during COVID-19 | Springboard to Active Schools
Classroom Physical Activity Ideas and Tips | Springboard to Active Schools