COVID-19: What We Know Now

After conducting a full school year through the COVID-19 pandemic, there is now more data and information on best practices to keep schools open for in-person learning while protecting the health and safety of school community members. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Department of Education and Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials worked together to develop this tool for Local Public Health agencies (LPHAs) and school districts. The purpose of this tool is to outline key components of a multilayered prevention and mitigation strategy designed to maintain and maximize in-person learning.

This tool will be updated as new information becomes available.

Ensuring schools can return to in-person learning is a high priority for the Governor, the CDC, students, families, leadership in education, public health and communities. In-person learning is critical to minimizing the impact of academic, social, emotional, and mental strains brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order for in-person learning to succeed uninterrupted, schools must have the information and tools needed to continue to offer safe environments.

Prioritizing In Person Learning

Layered prevention strategies support safe school environments and allow for in-person learning to continue without interruption from illness and outbreaks.

Additional layered mitigation strategies can be added in response to cases and outbreaks in educational settings to ensure in-person learning can continue.

Jump to a Toolkit Section:

Best Practice
Recommendations

Enhanced Mitigation &
Response to Cases