Considerations for Prioritizing Additional Strategies

Background

Core infection prevention strategies are important for schools to use every day. With help from local health departments, schools should consider local context when choosing additional infectious disease prevention strategies.

When deciding which prevention strategies to use, schools must balance infectious disease risk with educational, social, and mental health outcomes. Schools should take care to make sure that layered prevention strategies do not disproportionately affect any group or worsen health and education disparities.

Local factors to consider

Pathogen of concern and impact on community

Schools should work closely with local health departments to stay updated on the following:

• The latest data on disease spread in the community
• The impact on the local healthcare and hospital system
• Any changes to recommended prevention strategies for specific illnesses

When schools consider using more prevention strategies, they can also consider the following:

• The extent to which students are at risk for getting very sick
• The number of students who have vulnerable family members
• If the community is experiencing an outbreak
• If there is an epidemic or pandemic occurring

Age of population served

When the population includes many young children, decision-makers should give special consideration to the most suitable layered prevention strategies. For example, young children may have difficulty wearing a well-fitting mask consistently and correctly. Layering prevention strategies—for example, taking steps for cleaner air and avoiding crowded spaces—can help protect young children.

Students with disabilities

Federal disability laws require an individual approach for working with children and youth with disabilities. This approach must be consistent with each child's Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 plan, or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

Consistent with applicable federal and state laws, schools must provide reasonable modifications or accommodations when necessary to ensure equal access to in-person learning for students with disabilities. Administrators can consider adding additional prevention strategies to accommodate the health and safety of students with disabilities and protect their civil rights and equal access to safe in-person learning.

People at increased risk of getting very sick

Schools can also consider the needs of people who may be at risk of getting very sick with certain illnesses. Students may also have family members or others they spend time with who are at risk for getting very sick (for example, people with immunocompromising conditions). Some students and staff may choose additional protections (like wearing a mask when there are high illness or absence rates) to make sure they can remain safely in the classroom.

Availability of resources

Availability of resources—such as funding, personnel, or testing materials—varies by community. Schools can prioritize strategies for responding to an outbreak based on available resources.

Alternatively, schools can focus resources on specific at-risk sites within the school. Schools can partner with local health departments to make sure they have the most up-to-date public health information and access to health department resources.