How the Delta Variant Infiltrated an Elementary School Classroom

A detailed study in California found that the variant easily spread from an unvaccinated teacher to children and, in a few cases, their families.

An unvaccinated elementary schoolteacher infected with the highly contagious Delta variant spread the virus to half of the students in a classroom, seeding an outbreak that eventually infected 26 people, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The unusually detailed study, which comes as school districts across the country reopen, seems certain to intensify the debate over vaccine mandates in schools. A handful of school districts, including New York City, have already announced vaccine requirements for teachers and staff. Others may follow suit now that the Food and Drug Administration has granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.