Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland announced on Friday that it would temporarily switch to remote learning due to a surge of COVID-19 cases, according to The Hill.
''Educators, administrators and support staff must be able to deliver in-person instruction and other activities in conditions that prioritize their own health, as well as the wellbeing of the school community,'' Monica Goldson, CEO of the district, wrote in a statement.
''The increased positivity rates have significantly challenged the ability to do so, causing anxiety among many school communities and disruption to the school day.''
Goldson said that all classes would be held virtually starting on Monday. She also noted that schools will continue virtual learning until mid-January, with students hopefully returning to the classroom on Jan. 18. Those in kindergarten through sixth grade will return to in-person instruction on Jan. 31.
The U.S. saw over 13,000 new COVID-19 cases between Wednesday and Thursday, The Hill reported.
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN on Thursday that while delta is a concern, the insurgent omicron variant may lead the U.S. into a ''viral blizzard.''
''I think in the next three to eight weeks, we're going to see millions of Americans are going to be infected with this virus, and that will be overlaid on top of delta, and we're not yet sure exactly how that's going to work out,'' Osterholm said.
Last week, Middlebury College in Vermont also announced it would return to remote learning after nearly 50 confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus, NECN reported.
The college said that 99% of its student body has been vaccinated, but it is concerned about ''broader community transmission.''
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