States forging ahead with reopening plans can now use a 60-page guidance document published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) originally deemed too prescriptive by the White House.The guidance follows a three-step or phased approach to reopening schools, child-care facilities, restaurants, and mass transit.
The first "gating" criteria—or when to move to the next step—for each sector is a decrease in newly identified cases, followed by a decrease in emergency department or outpatient visits for COVID-19 or influenza-like illnesses.
The final gating criteria is a robust testing program, with 14 days of 20% or less of tests turning out positive for the novel coronavirus."Decisions and strategies about how to operate are