Of all the most politically contentious aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, one of the most fraught has been the issue of school closures. Schools in much of the country were closed for the better part of 2020, with “distance learning” entering the lexicon.  

Parents around the country were angered by the school closures, which disrupted their lives and certainly impacted learning for many students. It’s been speculated that anger about school closures played a role in Republican gains in the 2021 off-year elections and could emerge as a key issue in the midterm elections next year.  

Schools in most of the country have since reopened, but the Omicron variant is leading to concerns about what could happen in the new year. Even some schools have announced temporary closures due to potential Omicron outbreaks, including three in Prince George’s County, Maryland, as well as Cornell University and other prominent colleges.  

Now, the White House is preparing to take steps to ensure that schools can safely remain open.  

The Biden administration will take a “test-to-stay” approach to the schools amid the likely Omicron surge, according to NBC News. That approach would replace mandatory quarantines for students who are close contacts, with the students instead returning to school “if they test negative for the virus at least twice during the week after an exposure.” The CDC had previously required such quarantines as part of its guidelines.  

The White House is also expected to make a push for teachers to receive vaccine booster shots.  

A senior administration official warned in an interview with Axios, that “everything points to a large wave. A large wave is coming . . . It will be fast. It won't be as severe, but regrettably, there will be plenty of hospitalizations.” 

The CDC recently shared some examples of school districts who have successfully used that approach. CDC described test-to-stay as “another valuable tool in a layered prevention strategy,” which includes wearing face masks, at least three feet of distance, and ventilation, and hand washing.  

The Biden administration, at the start of December, introduced its winter coronavirus plan, which will focus on boosters for adults, vaccination for kids, more free at-home testing, workplace protections, and a commitment to global vaccination. The president has also said, in public appearances, that more lockdowns are not part of the plan.  

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for the National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver. 

Image: Reuters