NATIONWIDE — The CDC guidelines on reopening schools are out, and the country's top health experts are putting a heavy emphasis on getting children back in the classroom.

What You Need To Know

  • The CDC recommends children go back to the classroom, suggesting they are less likely to be affected by COVID-19 than adults

  • Says an in-person classroom environment supports the development of physical and emotional well-being

  • The White House says the CDC guidelines will not replace state or local ones

  • Many large school districts have already made plans to start the school year virtually

In a statement released Thursday, the CDC says children don't suffer much from the coronavirus and are also less likely to spread it than adults. As of July 17, the U.S. reported children and teens under 18 years old account for less than 7 percent of COVID-19 cases and fewer than 0.1 percent of COVID-19-related deaths.

The CDC said that in addition to educational instruction, an in-person school environment supports the development of social and emotional skills, creates a safe environment for learning, addresses nutritional needs, and facilitates physical activity.

“In an in-person school environment, children more easily learn how to develop and maintain friendships, how to behave in groups, and how to interact and form relationships with people outside of their family," the statement read. “In school, students are also able to access support systems needed to recognize and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, appreciate others’ perspectives, and make responsible decisions.”

The recommendations call for keeping children and facilities as safe as possible by moving classrooms outside whenever possible and keeping kids in pods so they remain around the same children all day. The CDC also recommends districts have plans in place for when someone gets sick.

The White House said the CDC guidelines will not replace state or local ones.

Some of the country's largest school districts including ones in Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, and Houston, among others, have announced virtual learning for the first part of the semester.