Johns Hopkins experts discuss how to reopen schools safely

As the end of summer draws near, the conversations about how to reopen schools safely in the fall grow louder.

CONVERSATION ABOUT RETURNINGSTUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOL GETSLOUDER AND LOUDER.

WMAR 2 NEWSABBY ISAACS HEARD FROM JOHNSHOPKINS EXPERTS TODAY ABOUTWHAT IT WILL TAKE TO GETSTUDENTS AND STAFF BACK TSCHOOL SAFELY.THEY ACKNOWLEDGE IT WILL BEHARD WORK, BUT ITStudent learn best in class,particulary younfr studentwere school is important notjust for academic learning butfor social and emotionaldevelopment.

EXPERTS FROM THEJOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOLOF PUBLIC HEALTH HELD A ZOOMCALL TODAY, DISCUSSING WHATPARENTS, TEACHERS,ADMINISTRATORS AND POLICYMAKERS SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN ITCOMES TO SAFELY REOPENIGNSCHOOLS THIS FALL.

ONE OF THEMAIN COMPONENTS IS A LOW RATEOF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSIONWHICH MIGHT HAVE TO BEACHIEVED BY PRIORITIZING WHATSTAYS OPEN TO LIMIT THESPREAD.

If we were to openschools communities shouldgive hard thoughts about whatbusineses and other publicvenues they allow to open orstay open and for certrinshould prioritize thereopening of schools beforeother usineses things likerestaurnats or bars that mightlead to higher risk oftransmission in thesurroudnign commutiy withoutthe potential benefits thatschools provide.

AS FAR ASREOPENIGN SCHOOLS, JOHNSHOPKINS SENIOR SCHOALRJENNIFER NUZZO RECOMMENDSPRIORITIZING YOUNGER STUDENTSAND STUDENTS WITH SPECIALNEEDS.

SHE SAID SCHOOLS COULDALSO LOOK AT OUTDOORCLASSROOMS, SMALLER CLASSSIZES AND LIMITINGINTERACTIONS.

THERE ARE ALSOCONCERNS ABOUT TRANSPORTATIONAND CROWDED BUSES, ANDPOTENTIAL SOLUTIONS COULD BECAR POOLS, SMALLERTRANSPORTATION OPTIONS ORSTAGGERED START TIMES.

SHEALSO SAYS SCHOOLS NEED TO BEREADY FOR POTENTIAL OUTBREAKSAND HAVE PLANS FOR CLOSING ANDONLINE LEARNING.

ALSO TAKINGINTO ACCOUNT THAT SOMESTUDENTS AND STAFF MAY NOT BECOMFORTABLE COMING BACK TOSCHOOL And thatenhanced online educationoptions will be helpful SHESAYS ALL THIS IS GOING TO BEHARD WORK, AND TO MAKE ITHAPPEN, SCHOOLS WILL NEED ALOT MORE FEDERAL SUPPORT Theamount thatto seducaiton so far is lessthan 1 percent of the totalstim pkg and this is cealrlynot enough and schools wilneed addication resources.

INBALTIMORE ABBY ISAACS WMAR 2NEWS.COVI━19 HAS A NUMBER OFRESTAURANTS IN THE F