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About 1.5 Million Teachers are at
Higher Risk of Serious Illness From COVID-19
As
local, state and federal official debate when and how to reopen schools
across the nation, a new KFF analysis estimates nearly 1.5 million teachers have
health conditions that put them at higher risk of serious illness if they
were to contract COVID-19. This represents nearly one in four (24%) of all
teachers around the country, creating challenges for schools trying to
provide in-person classroom education safely for students and teachers
alike.
While
children are at less risk for serious illness from COVID-19 than adults and
often have mild or no symptoms when infected, teachers and other adult staff
in schools face higher risk.
The
analysis finds teachers are similar to the broader workforce in terms of the
share who are considered high risk for serious illness from COVID-19 as
identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Factors
that put someone at risk include being at least 65 years old; having
diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, or moderate
or severe asthma; being severely obese; and having a compromised immune
system, as often occurs during cancer treatment.
Education
is primarily a state and local concern, and although they have received mixed
guidance from federal officials, decisions over reopening will be made at the
state and local level.
One
challenge for school systems is the sheer volume of traffic and tight
quarters in many school environments, which may make social distancing
difficult in the classroom and other settings. How state and local officials
balance the desire to reopen schools with the need to assure the safety of
students, parents, and school personnel will be have significant health and
economic consequences for people and communities.
Filling
the need for trusted information on national health issues, KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation)
is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.
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Friday, July 10, 2020
About 1.5 Million Teachers are at Higher Risk of Serious Illness From COVID-19
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