As COVID-19 surges in schools, will districts return to distance learning?

Kids space apart while they walk in hallway
Students use tape on the hallway floor to socially distance while walking to the cafeteria on Jan. 19, 2021 at Park Brook Elementary School in Brooklyn Park.
Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News 2021

There's a backlog of tests and COVID-19 infection numbers in Minnesota, but the statistics released Thursday morning by the state Health Department show almost 7,000 new cases and 62 new deaths in Minnesota.

As the omicron variant races through the state and the country, we're seeing more kids getting sick, and school staff, too. MPR News education reporter Elizabeth Shockman joined host Cathy Wurzer with the latest on how schools across the state are managing the pandemic — and whether some districts are considering going back to distance learning.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.