FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 17, 2020
Statement attributable to:
Gary L. LeRoy, MD
President
American Academy of Family Physicians
“Family physicians understand the importance and benefits of in-person learning for children. As the medical community continues to confirm precisely how COVID-19 spreads, family physicians are mindful that an infected person, even if asymptomatic, may inadvertently spread COVID-19 to children, teachers, co-workers, family members and ultimately others in the community.
“Thus, as communities look to the 2020-21 school year, it will be important to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in individual cities and communities to help signal if and when the risks of attending school in person begin to outweigh the benefits. Return-to-school guidelines should be evidence-based and flexible in response to new information, as communities cannot accurately predict where the next outbreak will appear. For this reason, even as schools implement new disinfecting protocols, they must remain vigilant about hand washing, the proper use of face masks and practicing physical distancing.”
Editor's Note: To arrange an interview with Dr. LeRoy, contact Megan Moriarty, 800-274-2237, Ext. 6052, or mmoriarty@aafp.org.
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About the American Academy of Family Physicians
The AAFP is the largest national association of family physicians, representing 128,300 physicians and medical students. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on impactful care for people of all ages, races and genders across all medical conditions. The AAFP supports every stage of a family physician's career and provides evidence-based resources, advocacy and community to empower family medicine. To learn more, visit aafp.org. For information about health care, medical conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s patient education website, familydoctor.org.