BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - When asked about lowering the social distancing threshold for schools in the state, Governor Andrew Cuomo's office said they are looking into it.
"We are reviewing that expeditiously," Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said. "They put out two tables about this looking at the incidents of cases and physical distancing for each level of transmission based on the number of cases in that area in that particular county."
The governor deferred questions related to schools to his aides during a phone call on Monday.
"A local district could do less than six feet, provided that physical barriers are in place between students," Beth Garvey, senior counsel and senior advisor to Governor Cuomo, said. "Right now, the minimum state guidance does not comport with the guidance that the CDC has issued. That is why we are looking to update that right now."
The CDC last week updated its guidelines which allowed schools to lower the threshold to three feet of social distancing in hopes of getting more kids back to school. However, local school districts said they can't do this without guidance from the New York State Education Department and the Health Department.
Garvey said there are other requirements related to the cohorting students which requires them to remain cohorted throughout the day. This means those students are kept together with the same peers and staff throughout the day to reduce the risk of spread.
"Middle school students and high school students should be at least 6 feet apart in communities where transmission is high, if cohorting is not possible," the CDC wrote on its website.
"We may have further modifications beyond just removal of barriers in order to achieve what CDC has put forward," Garvey said.
The governor said the CDC guidance is not universal.
"It's not that easy," Cuomo said.
