NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showsTennessee leading the nation in school closures because of COVID-19.
More than 400 schools statewide closed for at least a day from August until mid-September.
Nationwide school closures have affected more than 933,000 students.
It's important to note that while this data shows schools in the South leading with closures, many districts in the South started class earlier than other parts of the country, increasing opportunities for COVID cases to appear.
Georgia, Kentucky and Texas follow behind Tennessee in the top four states with the highest school closures.
Nationwide, the data shows most public and private schools, specifically 96%, have remained open for full in-person learning.
To prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in schools, the CDC recommends strategies, including vaccinations if ages apply, universal indoor masking, testing and physical distancing.
This all comes as there is about one week left of Gov. Bill Lee's executive order, which allows parents to opt-out of mask mandates in schools.
However, that has been struck down in some districts due to lawsuits.
