Images of students standing shoulder to shoulder and without masks have sparked renewed coronavirus fears as a classroom is placed in quarantine after the first day of school.
Pictures and video showing dozens of students walking the halls and posing for first-day-of-school photos appeared online soon after in-person classes began on Monday in Georgia.
Paulding County superintendent Brian Ottot confirmed in an email that photos from hallways at North Paulding High School in Dallas were authentic, according to the Associated Press.
“There is no question that the photo does not look good,” Mr Ottot said in the email.
It comes as a classroom at Sixes Elementary School in Georgia’s Cherokee County was shut down after a second-grade student tested positive for Covid-19 on the first day.
The student’s teacher and 20 classmates would quarantine with online classes for the next two weeks, school district spokesperson Barbara Jacoby told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Ms Jacoby said that “Welcome Back!” pictures shared from Sequoyah High School and Etowah High School showing seniors standing together without masks for first-day-of-school photos were taken not sanctioned by the district.
TAKE A LOOK: 2 Cherokee Co. Schools shared pictures of some students during their first day back in school. No social distancing, and very few masks, if any. I’ve received word that some teachers don’t feel comfortable but aren’t sure what to do. Is this safe? Thoughts? @cbs46 pic.twitter.com/EIvA1fNBVt
— Iyani Lenice CBS46 (@iyanilenicetv)
Despite being in the middle of a pandemic, today Etowah High School in Cherokee County started their first day of school.
Here’s a seniors photo that was taken this morning. pic.twitter.com/3VwzN3d0pE
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers)
“We are strongly encouraging and recommending all students wear masks inside the school and on buses and are providing all students with two reusable masks,” Ms Jacoby said.
Georgia’s Gwinnett and Cobb school districts announced on Tuesday plans to return to in-person classes in phases throughout August.
Attendees at North Paulding High School, meanwhile, said that day two was “just as bad” with a 10 per cent mask rate among students.
Masks are not compulsory at the Paulding school but county superintendent, Mr Ottot, said in his email that they were working to find ways to limit students from congregating.
“Wearing a mask is a personal choice and there is no practical way to enforce a mandate to wear them,” he wrote.
Dr Anthony Fauci, The White House’s infectious disease expert, said on Monday that school re-openings are important for the psychological welfare of children, but that there may be areas of high infection where students should remain at home.
“So you can’t make one statement about bringing children back to school in this country. It depends on where you are,” he said.
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