The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines for K-12 schools, reducing the recommended physical distance between students in classroom from six feet to three feet. The agency on Friday announced it “now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings.” The guidelines previously stated that “physical distancing, at least 6 feet, should be maximized to the greatest extent possible.” However, the updated guidelines still recommends at least six feet of distance between adults and between adults and students in classrooms, as well as in common areas, such as auditoriums. The change is expected to encourage more schools to return to full-time, five-days-a-week in-person instructions, as the long-standing six-foot social distancing recommendation has been interpreted as requiring schools to offer a combination of remote and in-person classes with staggered schedules in order to reduce class sizes. …