SE Vegas News

A recent national survey gauged American opinion and concerns relating to schools' response to COVID-19 and the current political environment in regards to the pandemic.

Throughout K-12 schools in the state of Nevada, indoor mask-wearing is recommended regardless of vaccination status. 

"Masked contact in a K-12 setting is no longer considered an exposure regardless of distancing,” according to guidance from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). 

If an individual who is not fully vaccinated comes in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, they must quarantine for a minimum of five days.

"In order to accomplish full in-person learning, limited social distancing measures will be in place, as compared to the 2020-21 school year," according to the department. "This reduction in mitigation, along with low vaccination rates, and the emergence of variants of concern which have higher transmission rates, make the implementation of other mitigation measures, such as mask use, even more important."

Hart Research Associates recently teamed up with NBC News to conduct a national survey gauging opinion trends on the American political environment and COVID-19 concerns. The survey was conducted from Jan. 14 to 18 and polled 1,000 adults, 790 of which were registered voters.

The survey results reveal Americans are divided in their behavior. Some 37% of people are very focused on COVID-19 and 31% are moderately focused, according the the finding. Alternatively, 10% of people reported they are not focused on the pandemic, while 22% reported to have a low focus on the virus.

When asked where their priorities lie regarding restrictions in schools, 65% of Americans said they are more concerned about children falling behind in school, while 30% are more concerned about the spread of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to strongly encourage indoor masking in K-12 school settings for all students, staff and visitors, “regardless of vaccination status.”

Apart from vaccination being the leading prevention strategy, the CDC said universal masking remains the second most effective mode of protection against COVID-19 transmission. 

With low vaccination rates among students and staff in some schools, public health officials are working to implement screening testing in addition to physical distancing and masking.

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services said Nevada's guidelines are consistent with these recommendations.

"The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services supports full in-person learning with the proper prevention/mitigation measures in place, consistent with CDC’s Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools," according to DHHS.