BUFFALO, N.Y. — The CDC's new relaxed recommendations for social distancing measuring in schools is causing some concern, especially in places like Erie County where COVID-19 cases are increasing in schools.
During an update on Tuesday, Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein shared new information highlighting a recent increase in cases in county schools.
"This past week ending on March 20, there were 247 cases in the schools reported to Erie County Health Department," Burstein said.
A clear sign that the current trend is going in the wrong direction.
Not only are cases in classrooms and schools increasing, but the county's health department says a majority of student cases are in fact the result of student to student transmission.
"Numbers are high," Burstein says. "As high as they were this winter when we were seeing really high rates throughout the communities."
With an increase in cases, the question stands: is Erie County ready for relaxed COVID-19 measures in schools?
"This is very concerning," Burstein expressed on Tuesday.
Part of her concern is that according to the DOH a number of these student outbreaks have been in either classrooms or entire schools that have 3 feet distancing between desks - the new modified CDC recommendation - regardless of whether masks are being used or not.
"These are primarily private schools, not public schools," Burstein says.
This begs the question: is Erie County ready to ease up on social distancing measures when it comes to schools?
Dr. Thomas Russo is professor and chief of the Division of Infectious Disease at the University at Buffalo and says, we just aren't where we need to be yet.
"People just need to double down," Russo said. "It's not quite over yet."
As for the CDC's new recommendations? Burstein made it very clear that it's up to the state to decide how to proceed.
"New York State sets the guidance for schools in New York State," she said.
As for the county's role? She says her department will continue supporting all tracing efforts.