US CDC Studies Possibility of Easing Social Distancing from 2m to 1m

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), stated that he is researching whether relaxing social distancing guidelines to 3 feet (about 1 meter) under certain conditions such as schools is effective in preventing virus spread.

On the 14th (local time), according to Axios, Fauci appeared on CNN and said that if the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that 3 feet is an appropriate distance to curb the spread of COVID-19, existing quarantine guidelines could potentially be adjusted.

Foreign media evaluated this study as a move that could change the core principle regarding social distancing, which is globally standardized at 2 meters.

Earlier, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Massachusetts announced research results showing no significant difference in infection rates between 6 feet (about 2 meters) and 3 feet distancing in schools conducting in-person classes.

The center conducted a survey of 540,000 students and 100,000 staff across 251 school districts participating in in-person classes for 16 weeks.

Fauci said the CDC is paying attention to this data and conducting its own research, expecting to release results soon.

If the conclusion is reached that 3 feet distancing is possible under certain conditions such as schools, it is expected to affect quarantine guidelines not only in schools but also in public places like offices and sports stadiums.

However, Fauci warned that the U.S. could experience a situation similar to Italy, where easing quarantine guidelines led to a surge in infections due to variants and other factors, emphasizing the need to comply with quarantine guidelines and expand vaccination.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.