"Face coverings are a must. Hand hygiene and also cleaning and disinfection are outlined in the report," Levine said.
Students or their parents should screen for symptoms before school each day. Once in school, interactions should be limited by staggering class times, or by moving teachers — instead of students — when changing classes.
Desks should face in the same direction and be 6 feet apart as much as possible. The state calls the guidelines "best practices."
That's better than having a list of mandates, said Bucks County Health Department Director David Damsker.
"If you get too strict, you basically hamstring schools from being able to do what they need to do to be able to open next month in September," he said.
Local school boards have to approve the back-to-school plans before in-person classes can resume.
And in Bucks County, every school student will get a plastic face shield.
Commissioners' Chairwoman Diane Marseglia said they'll provide the masks to every student in public and private schools in the county.
She said the masks are in the works right now. They'll then be provided to the schools and the schools will coordinate handing them out with parents.
"We think this is a great way for them all to start off together with the same protection. We know there's been a lot of worry of wearing masks and for people who can't wear masks, but virtually everyone can wear the shield," she said.
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KYW Newsradio's Jim Melwert contributed to this report.



