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Duke Research Shows In-Person Learning Is Safe With Low Virus Transmission
Recent research from Duke University shows in-person learning can resume safely and proper mitigation measures can lower and prevent transmission in school settings.
Amid the local districts’ preparations for students to return to the classroom, there are some concerns about teachers being vaccinated prior to in-person instruction as the waitlist for a vaccine continues to grow. Currently, healthcare workers and those over the age of 65 are eligible to be vaccinated under Groups 1 and 2. The beginning of Group 3 of vaccinations for educators in PreK through 12 schools starts February 24.
While some people may be worried about receiving a vaccine prior to in-person instruction, others say it’s not the primary concern among some educators. Kristen Stephens, an associate professor of education at Duke, said some of the concern is actually about the form of instruction for their school district.
Updated at 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2021
Freezing rain is expected across central North Carolina starting overnight Wednesday. Duke Energy says the winter weather may cause nearly one quarter of its North and South Carolina customers to lose power.
School districts across central North Carolina are delaying classes, canceling them or shifting to remote learning due to the threat of severe winter weather. Durham Public Schools and Orange County Schools are among the districts that will be closed tomorrow. Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools will conduct remote learning only.
Governor Roy Cooper has issued a state of emergency ahead of the storm. The order activates 40 members of the North Carolina National Guard to help with any tree or debris removal.
UNC will go into Condition 2 with suspended operations and canceled classes starting at midnight, in response to forecast winter storms and expected power outages, according to an Alert Carolina message Wednesday night.
Officials say residents should prepare for up to three days of lost power as Orange County faces a winter storm warning from midnight Thursday until 7 a.m. Friday, with a likely ice accumulation of ¼ to ½ inches across central N.C.