Cites concerns including rise in suicides, drug overdoses among adolescents
The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday cited several alarming concerns in his push to urge for the safe reopening of K-12 schools.
Dr. Robert Redfield told the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis it is in the public health interest to get schools reopen for face-to-face learning.
"I don't think I can emphasize it enough, as the director for the Centers for Disease Control, the leading public health agency in the world: it is in the public health interest that these K-12 students get the schools back open for face-to-face learning." pic.twitter.com/yLHHO4F9MX
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) July 31, 2020
“I don’t think I can emphasize it enough, as the director of the Centers for Disease Control, the leading public health agency in the world, it is in the public health interest [for] K-12 students to get these schools back open for face-to-face learning,” Redfield said.
“Mental health service, 7.1 million kids get it in school. Nutrition, we talked about. Reporting of child abuse, sexual abuse — mandatory in schools.”
“The isolation that these adolescents are feeling that now is associated with increased … drug overdose … and now increase suicides.”
“I think it is really important, as a grandfather, 11 grandkids, I want these kids back in school. I have one grandchild with cystic fibrosis. I want it done smartly, but I think we have to be honest that the public health interest of the students in this nation right now is to get a quality education and face-to-face learning and we need to get on with it.”
Redfield said earlier this month that there is no data showing children drive the spread of the coronavirus.
The New York Post reports that last week the CDC issued guidance on reopening schools, “with the agency suggesting practicing ‘cohorting’ — where a group of students stay together throughout the school day to minimize exposure of the virus.”
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