oneida county school reopening guidance

I'm kristen copeland.

I'm jason powles.

Oneida county today released 'reopening strategies' for school districts.

It's guidance, and not binding, but the county executive did make one thing clear: he believes it's time to bring students back to class, full-time.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris has your top story.

Stand up .

None as has been the case before during this pandemic, there is a bit of uncertainty about guidance and restrictions, some binding and some not, that come from different sources" oneida county executive anthony picente on wednesday released guidance for schools in the county to safely bring back students, full time.

25:54 "all buildings are different.

All facilitites and buildings are different.

Theyre not obligated by these strategies" also at today's press briefing, a local e.r.

Physician, saying, at this point, the 'cure' is worse than the disease...and children need to be in school full time 33:51 "i am seeing too many pediatric patients in the emergency department who are suicidal, who are self mutilating, cutting, depressed, anxis,onely, micidal as we, it is tright this time... ..."we're doing more harm than good" picente says more than 61,000 oneida county adults have received their 1st vaccine dose and more than 37,000 have completed the vaccine process.

We're averaging about 31 new cases a day, with a 1.2% positivity rate , on a seven-day average, since mid february.

These and other factors lead him to conclude it's time to bring students back full time 24:41 "it makes no sense that our children can't sit next to each other masked on a bus but then are allowed to compete on a basketball court or in a wrestling match" the reopening 'strategies', as the county calls them, include what you'd expect....social distancing, masks, open window when possible, whether they're talking about the classroom, or the school bus.

It also recommends teachers and bus drivers are vaccinated and tested regularly.

But some say the social distancing suggestion of no closer than three feet is a bit conflicting 12:06 "i still have the cdc guidance here and it still says six feet, how you organize your classes, it has not changed.

These are coming out as suggestions.

It is not official, from my understanding.

So i have to look legally at this" the superintendent of the largest school district in oneida county, with 11,000 students and 2000 staff, says 100% full time this school year is possible....if one restriction would change 15:06 how that could happen, if they come back and they reduce the six foot social distancing from the cdc and the state?

If that does happen, absolutely.

The day after, absolutely" jf, nc2.

> tonight on nbc nightly news --- lester holt goes inside one thf biggest school